


when forked roads reconvene

by PuriPuki



Series: there are miles to go before i sleep [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Implication of Deceased Siblings, Lucina Recruits The Future Children, Referenced Original Characters, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 14:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13766079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PuriPuki/pseuds/PuriPuki
Summary: Traveling with the Shepherds, Lucina found, was not unlike the journeys she made with her own Shepherds. There were battles, skirmishes with the odd band of Risen, stories swapped and traded over a fire and meal (though the ones she had now were far from the ones she had then - the meat was rich and not stripped from decaying bone, the bread soft and freshly made, the water clean), and of course, accidents and adventures in between.an au wherein lucina recruits the future children, because that should've been an option in the first place.





	1. The Scion of Legend... My Cousin

Traveling with the Shepherds, Lucina found, was not unlike the journeys she made with her own Shepherds. There were battles, skirmishes with the odd band of Risen, stories swapped and traded over a fire and meal (though the ones she had now were far from the ones she had then - the meat was rich and not stripped from decaying bone, the bread soft and freshly made, the water clean), and of course, accidents and adventures in between. 

 

They’re in the exposition of war, and Lissa begins to pester Lucina about her own future child after a few weeks of gentle words. No one was ever sure what to say to her, and she wasn’t surprised. The questions first begin after the climb up the Mila Tree, and Lissa started softly.

 

“So, Lucina, I’ve had this question I’ve been meaning to ask you,” She starts, wringing her fingers. Lucina would be worried, but they’ve long since gotten over Lissa’s infatuation with who she thought was Marth. “Were there any other kids with you, in the future? Or past, for you, I guess.”

 

“...Yes,” Lucina says, tentatively, unsure how much to reveal. There most definitely were other kids, and she would surely be long gone by now if not for them, but there were also other kids who didn’t get the chance to live as long as she had. “There were fourt-, no, twelve of us. I don’t know where they are, though.”

 

“Was mine with you? My future-kid, I mean.” Lissa isn’t looking at her, opting to pick at her nails while Lucina contemplates death. “It’s alright if you don’t wanna tell me, but I don’t know, I’m kind of curious?”

 

“Your son was with me when I came back. His name is Owain.” Lucina chooses to say, not quite sure how to go about her cousin’s colorful personality. Owain was much closer to a beacon of hope for the people of the future-past than she was, where she was a figurehead for hope, he actually radiated it, despite all he’d been through. “He loved you very much.”

 

“Oh, that’s a cute name! I wonder how future-me came up with it… What’s he like?” Lissa asked. 

 

“He’s… well, he’s quite colorful.”

 

“Hmm. Not sure I wanna know what that means.” Lissa paused for a moment, considering something if the crease in her brow was anything to go by. “Did he have… no, wait. Did I have any other kids from when you’re from?”

 

“I… no, just Owain.” Lucina muttered, unsure how to broach the topic. Owain wasn’t an only child, but his sister wasn’t as strong as him. She was frail, sickly, but Lissa doesn’t need to know that. No one needs to know about the ones that didn’t make it.

 

“I wonder where he is! If he’s anything like me, he’ll probably be somewhere lively, oh, maybe back in Ylisse? I don’t know if they were as busy as they are now in the future, but we’ve got some pretty fast-paced towns here! Close to the border, especially.” Lissa rambled on, pondering the many places her son could be. Lucina smiled along pleasantly, but her thoughts were elsewhere, wondering how her cousin fared in this world, lost and probably alone and confused.

 

They find him the next day when there’s a rumor that somehow got to their camp that a village nearby has come under attack. Owain, like the heroic fool he is, is in the thick of it when they arrive. Lucina’s mother is whipping up a strategy as they stand on the outskirts, trying to figure out the best means of attack in a village not exactly easy to navigate. Abbeys and scholarly houses make up the outskirts, presumably hiding the houses and businesses within their strongholds. Her mother sends her straight to the town square with Lissa and Donnel, for purposes unknown - Robin is the best strategist the Halidom knows, so she trusts her mother. But given what Lucina remembers of her, it’s probably nothing more than a hunch.

 

The town square, frankly, is on fire when they arrive. A valiant few villagers are fighting against the invading force, some small band of brigands looking to loot a war ridden area. Among the villagers fighting is a familiar figure, swinging a sword like no tomorrow, yelling at the brigands. Normally, she’d think nothing of this - she’d seen more than a few farmfolk take up weapons to seek revenge, and a  _ lot _ of them wound up screaming during fights, either in pain or fear or anger. 

 

She’d think nothing of this, except this sword-swinging maniac has light purple hair and is hurling profanities of old Ylissean at his enemies. Honestly, at this point, Lucina isn’t sure why she even doubted that she’d find Owain any other way. 

“I’ll go ahead and help the villagers, split up and protect the sages?” Lucina asked her aunt and uncle, both nodding before going separate ways to find the right building to protect. With Lissa and Donnel out of the way, Lucina charged forward into the square, knocking Owain out of the way and taking an enemy down with her, much like she’d done weeks before to save her father from yet another assassination attempt in Plegia. 

 

“Who goes there?!” He yelled, turning around on his heel, holding his sword up in defense. “Wait, Lucina? You’re here! Gods, I’ve been waiting weeks for you!”

 

“It’s good to see you too, Owain. How long have you been here?” She asked, extending an arm. Owain ignored this and took her into a hug, tight and unrelenting. “Owain?”

 

“It’s been three weeks, but it’s three weeks too long. I wasn’t able to make it to Ylisse partly because I have no idea where I am but also because I have literally no means to get there. By the way, what year is it? Because you look a bit older than I remember.” Owain rambled, waving his free hand about, “I don’t mean that in a bad way! You just don’t look as gaunt as I remember, and a little taller too, so I’m jealous.”

 

“Okay, slow down a bit - You’ve only been here for three weeks?” Owain nodded to confirm. “Okay. I’ve been here for almost three years now. The me from this timeline was born a few months ago.”

 

“Oh wow, that explains it.”

 

“Secondly, you’re in Valm - continent, not country. The war with Plegia has ended, but now Valm is waging war against the rest of the world. So the Shepherds are here to fight that.” Lucina explained calmly, hoping to stave off Owain’s probable desperation to see his parents - that could happen later, but there was a village in need of saving.

 

“Wait, they’re here? All of them?” So much for staving it off.

 

“Yes, Lissa and Donnel too, but please we have a village to save right now.” Lucina blurted out, grabbing onto Owain’s shirt to stop him from moving. “C’mon, do you know where the leader is?”

 

“Yeah, yeah he’s near one of the abbeys, I can take you - okay, yeah, let’s go.”

 

As usual with battles, time passes in a blur for Lucina - it’s not that she loses memory of what happens, it just… doesn’t feel real after the fact, and she supposes that’s just how it’s always been, a by-product of her unfortunate childhood. She swings her sword. She parries, she defends Owain from potential stabs to the back. She wipes blood from her cheek, and it isn’t hers. It doesn’t matter this time, because they’ve won, and all the villagers are safe. They are heartily rewarded, but Lucina’s focus is more on her cousin than the gifts.

 

“Come on,” She says, tugging at his sleeve, “I’ll take you to them. They’re almost always in the triage areas afterwards.”

 

“Okay,” Owain replies, pointedly ignoring the tears building. “Let’s go.”

 

Lucina keeps her grip on Owain’s sleeve, and leads him toward the triage tents set up on the outskirts of town, where Lissa is sure to be mending the bumps and bruises of the villagers. She can’t imagine how this will go, Owain lost his father far earlier than she lost either of her parents, and while Lissa was around longer than her brother, Owain still lost his parents all too soon, like they all did. She’s not sure how any of this will go. She wasn’t sure how it would go two years ago when she fell out of time, and she sure as hell wasn’t sure how it would go two months ago when the truth spilled over her lips like water rushing past a broken dam. 

 

“Aunt Lissa!” She calls out, waving a hand to get her attention. “Aunt Lissa, can you come here for a moment? And bring Uncle Donny with you?”

 

“Sure, just a moment, Luce!” Lissa called back, beckoning to an assistant to tend to her current patient, before turning around and hollering into another tent, “Donny, Luce needs us for a minute!”

 

“Oh gods is this real? Feels like my body’s fake Lucina is this real, like, really happening? Did she really just yell, did I really just, just hear her?” Owain rambles, left arm twitching and scratching at his sword’s scabbard, the remains of the sleeve Lucina didn’t have a hold on swaying, scraps of fabric falling off, exposing his Brand. “Lucina what’s she gonna say? Does she even know that I exist? Oh god, does she know about Bonnie? Luce how much does she know?”

 

“Owain, calm down. Yes, she knows about you - she just asked yesterday for the first time. She asked about other siblings, but I said you were the only, I didn’t think it was my place to tell her about Bonnie. She seemed very excited to meet you.” Lucina said, gripping Owain’s arm a little tighter in hopes of grounding him. “Don’t worry, it’ll be alright. Oh, and they’re just now courting each other, but don’t worry about that, they’re very in love.”

 

“Lucina!” Lissa called, walking up to them with her boyfriend in tow. “What’s up? Oh, is this that sword guy from the square?”

 

“Yes, he is. He helped me take down Gecko, and requested to meet you and Uncle Donny.” Lucina said calmly, trying to be a rock for Owain in case this went south. She wacks Owain with her hand, urging him to speak.

 

“Hi,” Owain says, a slight waver in his voice, surprisingly not putting up his heroic facade, “I’m- I’m Owain. It’s… It’s really, really good to m-meet you.”

 

Owain extends his left arm, shakily, in a way that gives Lissa and Donnel a glimpse at the Brand. Lissa’s hands fly up to her mouth, her eyes widening in realization. Donnel is a little slower on the up-take but he catches on, and he takes Owain’s hand. 

 

Owain lets his guard down for once, and yanks his parents into a tight hug, tears falling. Lissa, ever a crybaby, is quick to join him and wraps her arms around Owain. The three of them stand there for a solid couple of minutes, just holding each other. 

 

“I’ll be with Mother and Father,” Lucina says, though she doubts any of them are listening. Naga knows that if any of the other kids were there when she first revealed herself to her father, she wouldn’t have listened to any of them either. 


	2. Pockets of Posies and Poison

Things are different in camp once Owain arrives on the scene. Knowing that there are others of Lucina out there, kids of their own, the other Shepherds are… enthusiastic about learning about their offspring. Owain indulges them frequently, waxing poetic tales about the adventures he had with some of them around the campfire - Vaike in particular inquires about his child, leaving Owain at a bit of a loss. Laurent wasn’t exactly one for adventures. All the same, the morale is up despite the war going on. 

 

Some of the Shepherds, however, are more discreet with their questions. Olivia is one of them, which isn’t something she expected. Granted, Lucina never knew her - everything that she knew about Inigo’s mother came from his stories about her. 

 

“I was, um, wondering about… well, if I had any.. kids that traveled with you?” Olivia stutters out, wringing her hands together. “It.. seems silly to ask but now that Lissa’s son is here.. it feels a little less silly, haha..”

 

“Of course, Olivia” Lucina says, relaxing. It wasn’t often that she spoke with many of the Shepherds, leaving her almost always on edge when interacting with them. “You have a son, Inigo. A dancer like you.”

 

“Oh!” Olivia says, excited. “A dancer? Really?”

 

“Yes,” Lucina affirms, “He looks up to you very much. I’ve seen some of his dances too, he’s quite skilled. He’s quite skilled in magic as well, like your husband. He’s a good man.”

 

“Oh, Henry will be glad! He’s mentioned kids a few times since Owain showed up and started this storytelling around the campfire thing… I wasn’t sure about asking you, but I’m glad I did.” Olivia spills, her hands fidgeting a little. “Thank you, Lucina.”

 

“It’s not a problem,” She says, “If you want to know more about him, feel free to ask.” Lucina’s not so sure what she would say to a few questions, but she’s willing to fudge the answers if it gives Olivia some comfort.

 

Idley, she wonders what Inigo’s up to in that moment - surely, he’s swooning over a barmaid or entertaining for a warm place to sleep. 

 

The next evening, Lucina finds herself sitting across from Henry at dinner - they’re paused for the moment, eating rations over logs and shambled fires, stuck too far out from the nearest village. She’s expecting him to ask about his son, perhaps about what he likes or if he looks a certain way, like Lissa had asked about Owain, but Henry is… Henry about it all. He asks if his son is happy.

 

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Lucina says, hesitant. The crow perched on his shoulder is ominous, chirping and gurgling at her. 

 

“Is he happy? Y’know, despite all the sad stuff.” Henry repeats, taking another bite out of his meal. He tosses a piece of meat up for the crow as he chews, which is just - it’s just weird. 

 

“I hope so,” Lucina settles on, sighing, “It was hard to be happy, but Inigo always smiled. He was happy for us when we couldn’t be.”

 

Henry doesn’t ask about Inigo being happy again, but something in his face makes Lucina sure that he’s not content with the answer she gave. 

 

As the weeks drag on, the Shepherds slowly make their way back up the coast of Valm - Tiki has requested their presence once more, and after dealing with divine matters, they decide to venture further north to scope out potential rebels on the coast. Say’ri is insistent that there are none to be found there, that she’d have already recruited them, but Robin is insistent, despite there being nothing more than a hunch behind her reasoning. 

 

They spend a day working out of a small village, where they are well received despite being foreigners. Say’ri and Lon’qu act as translators, and Lucina fondly thinks that Gerome, however petulant he would act about, would be a good translator here too - father like son, she supposes. She spends a great deal of time with Owain and his parents, helping foster their newfound bond - Owain has always been a little awkward in strange social situations like this, and she hopes her presence is helpful. Ultimately, Say’ri proposes that they stay in the village for a few days, for some well deserved rest and relaxation. Robin is on board with this, agreeing that well rested troops are successful troops. 

 

It’s nice here. Quiet, but not terrifyingly so - there’s the chatter of villagers, oos and awes when Olivia dances for them at the bonfire, the crackle and flickers of the fire as they cook a shared meal, excited storytelling as Lucina reluctantly indulges Owain and spins stories with him. All is, for now at least, well. 

 

As with all good things, this peace comes to an end.

 

Like with the village in Central Valm, a band of brigands descends on a small stronghold, only a fifteen minutes’ walk east, wreaking havoc as they go. A messenger comes calling for them soon enough, drawing the Shepherds from a lazy day of training into the fray of battle. At the skirts of it, a young maiden begs Lucina to save the boy her family has been housing. Lucina asks for what he looks like, if there’s anything that’ll let her pick him out from the mess of soldiers taking to the field.

 

The maiden says his hair is white and that he tucks flowers behind his ears. Lucina smiles. Inigo never changes, it seems. Lucina goes to her mother, who’s about to rush into the fray herself (an adrenaline junkie, who knew) and alerts her - “One of my friends is here. I’ll find him, but don’t hurt the boy with white hair.”

 

“Alright,” Robin huffs, “But get him out fast - this could get messy.”

 

At first, there’s no sign of him, and she worries that he’s already thrown himself inside the walls of the fort, and it wouldn’t be the first time he’d done something so reckless for a loved one. But before long, she can see a tuft of his hair over the cold haze that’s set over the field, and he’s twirling around as he takes his sword through foes, and Inigo truly does never change. She makes her way to him, sliding behind him to bring down a flier aiming for his back. He turns around to thank her, and she knows there's a  _ thank you, beautiful _ on his lips but it falls short when his eyes meet hers. 

 

“Lucina,” He whispers, almost inaudible over the clash of steel and flesh behind them, “You’re here.”

 

“So are you,” She replies, smiling before turning to the left to parry a blow and strike another flier down. “It’s been some time, but conversation can wait - let’s get this done with. You’ve a maiden begging for your safety.”

 

“Buttercup,” He says, laughing, “Alright. But you’ve got to give me the details on where I am once this is done, I’ve been lost for months.”

 

And into battle they go, making their way through the walls of the fortress, Lucina purposefully steering them away from the path she knows her mother has sent Olivia and Henry down. If she can, she’ll avoid them until the battle is done, because Inigo breaking down in the midst of a skirmish has never been pretty or easy. Ultimately, unlike with Owain, she and Inigo are left to pick off the stragglers, as it seems that Cordelia has stuck her lance through the leader of the band. 

 

“He was after me,” Inigo says over the body of one of their foes, “Jamil, I mean. I killed one of his men.”

 

“I’m sure he was deserving of it,” Lucina replies, extending a hand to him, “Come on. Your mother is waiting.” Inigo smiles, but she can see tears gathering in his eyes already, and she smiles back.

 

Olivia and Henry are milling about near triage, Olivia fretting over a gash in her husband’s arm - despite his already overly happy demeanor, Lucina knows it’s nothing serious, his arm visibly bandaged and so far still clear of blood. Inigo, at her side, is fiddling with his ring, pulling it off and twisting it back on like he’s on the edge of a nervous break. She places a gentle hand on his shoulder, hoping to reassure him. He gives her a shaky smile. So far, he’s doing much better than Owain, and so, she calls out to Olivia.

“Olivia! Can I speak with you and your husband for a moment?” She yells, startling the poor dancer - now that she’s actually met his mother, it’s clear where Inigo’s nervous demeanor comes from. She nods  _ yes _ and Lucina drags Inigo over, if only because his feet seem to not move on his own. 

 

“Is it urgent?” Olivia asks when Lucina’s in range, clearly still worrying over Henry, whose smiling happily next to her. 

 

“Yes, but in a good way.” Lucina replies, gesturing to Inigo, and decides to put it bluntly, “This is Inigo. He fought alongside me in the future-past and today against the Grimleal.”

 

“Oh,” Olivia sighs, bringing her hands together and wringing them, a light sheen gathering in her eyes, “It’s so good to meet you, I- I don’t even know what to say.”

 

Henry doesn’t say anything, and Lucina worries that maybe she should’ve been more roundabout, but the mysterious mage rises and smiles, opens his arms, and says “C’mere kiddo.” Inigo gives a watery smile back and rushes forward to embrace his father, who’s nearly a whole head shorter. Olivia is quick to wrap her arms around the two of them, and it quickly dissolves into a quiet, weepy group hug. 

 

Lucina smiles. It seems that tears will be normal for these reunions, and she hopes that they’ll all be accompanied by smiles at the very least. 


	3. Strong in the Real Way

When Inigo returns to camp alongside Lucina and Owain, it doesn’t take anyone much time to figure out his parentage - the white hair is distinct, and he’s very clearly not Robin’s son, and so he must be Henry’s. After the teary reunion, Inigo is quick to put his flirtatious facade back up, and Frederick nearly pummels him on Lucina’s behalf, misinterpreting his welcomed teases as unwanted advances. Inigo, too, indulges the Shepherds and helps Owain spin tales of their adventures together around a campfire. It’s good to have him back. Almost normal. 

 

Unlike the other precipitating events, neither Maribelle nor Ricken come to Lucina to ask her about their progeny, and she thinks it better this way, because honestly, she’s not sure what she’d be able to choke out with the duke of Themis staring her down. Maribelle, Lucina thinks, is not that different from her son - both are so softly hearted, caring deeply for those around them, and if the situation arises, both are  _ incredibly _ intimidating. But she can see parts of him in Ricken as well, especially when she catches the young mage fawning over the dogs of the village they stop in. 

 

The return to travel is rocky at first. For once, she’d grown accustomed to returning to the same bed at night in the same town, despite the foreign words slipping off lips and the tensions of a brewing war. Owain and Inigo walk alongside her towards the front of the march, Inigo regaling them with the stories of his time in the Chon’sinese countryside and how his sweet maiden, Buttercup, had taken him in after falling a dreadful height from the sky. Lucina is mostly quiet, but reminds him that Gerome won’t be pleased to know his boyfriend was messing around with a farm maiden. Inigo goes a little red, Owain bursts into laughter, and some spring returns to her step. 

 

It’s always comforting to have family at your side.

 

Eventually in their journey south, they recieve word that a village, a monastery that’s come to life in the Mila Tree ruins, is under attack, and once more, the Shepherds are off to the rescue. Lucina has no qualms with her father’s seemingly incessant desire to save people, but it’s strange - she can’t quite imagine being able to save everyone, it was never feasible in the past and still seemed that way. But however strange, she’s glad to help, and every new village explored yields new allies. 

 

When they arrive, the surviving villagers and monks have barricaded themselves within a building in the center of a meadow, incandescent in the afternoon sunlight, and it seems to be that brigans are attacking from all sides. Robin sends Lucina, Owain, Inigo and Lissa to hold down the fort until a decent number of brigands are apprehended, trusting her to keep things under control until then. Realistically, it shouldn’t be a difficult task. Lucina has more than enough experience keeping panicked people calm in chaos, and Owain and Inigo are more than enough brute force to keep harm at bay until more can aid them. Lissa comes along more for precautions, her skill with the healing arts more important to this mission than her ability to swing an axe. All in all, a great family outing. 

 

When they arrive on the building doorstep, they find what Lucina expects - complete chaos. They have to push their way in, screaming over a weeping mother that they are not foes, only there to help. At first, she doesn’t even see him, bent over someone’s body, she’s more concerned with calming the few lucid villagers. From the oldest man, a monk nearing the tail end of a  _ long _ life expectancy, she discovers there’s 7 entrances to the building. In desperation, she sends her three allies to guard the main entrances, and assigns the strongest of the villagers to cluster near the other entrances in case of a breach. It’s when the monk returns to tending to the wounded that it happens. 

 

She’s making a quick round, trying her best to gauge if anyone was on the brink of death - a skill she hadn’t needed before, only needing to know who was gone and who remained. In the far right corner of the main foyer, a young man with light brown hair and decked in purple robes is kneeling over a woman, who is very much alive and reaching up to cup the man’s face. At any other battle, she’d look away and think nothing of it, just a tired and injured woman seeking comfort from her healer. But the man is crying. Loudly. He’s very clearly upset, but still working to bandage some limb or another. 

 

“Are you alright?” She asks him, hesitant and extending a hand to put on his shoulder. When she touches him, he freezes, and she’s afraid she’s done something wrong. But he turns his head, she spots a scar over his eye that’s all too familiar - Lucina had been there when he received the injury, inflicted by a tightly wound violin string, and recalls how red Brady’s face had been with blood and blush. 

 

“Luce?” Brady stutters out, sniffling. He turns back to the woman he’s tending too, telling her, “I’ll be back in a minute Maggie, and don’t even think about getting up.” 

 

“Doctor’s orders,” Maggie says, smirking up at Brady. He smiles back before rising, his knees popping loudly. He turns to face Lucina, and despite her growth over the past two years, is still at least a head and a half taller than her. 

 

“Hello, Brady.” She says, reaching up to hug him, “It’s good to see you again.”

 

“You too,” Brady replies, bending down to hug her back, “‘S a shame under these circumstances. What are you even  _ doing _ here?”

 

“Same old same old with the Shepherds - a village is under duress, we come to save the day.” Brady snorts at that, and laughs a little when Lucina gives him a look. “What’s that twist in your face for?”

 

“The Shepherds are here, really? In the bumfuck middle of nowhere? Don’t start joking now, Luce.” Brady steps back from the hug, but keeps a hand on her shoulder. “You alright?”

 

“More than,” She says, reaching up to put her hand on his, “And they really are here - the war in Valm is demanding, and an attack on the monastery so close to the Mila Tree? Of course we’re here, it’s only right.”

 

“Oh, so that’s what that thing is? For real? Yeesh, guess I am a bit slow on the uptake. Am I the first you’ve found? ‘Cause if I am, that’s a little disappointing, if you were hoping for Owain or Severa first,” Brady rambles a bit, scratching the back of his neck, an old nervous tick of his. Despite the battle being waged outside, it’s comforting to see that Brady hasn’t changed that much. 

 

“Third,” Lucina tells him, “Owain first. Lissa practically bawled when she saw his brand. We found Inigo a few days ago - well, more like I found him. He’s been a little more watery than usual, but his mother’s worse. And now you. I’ve been here about two years, but I only revealed the truth to Mother and Father a few months ago.”

 

“Oh,” Brady sighs, shoulders slouching, “I’m glad Owain’s alright.”

 

“And not me?” Inigo butts in, somehow spirited away from his post. “I’m hurt, Brady, I thought our friendship really meant something, you brute-”

 

“Oh, shut up, idiot.” Brady scolds, yanking Inigo into a hug. 

 

“Any reason you’re away from your post?” Lucina asks, a little more concerned with the safety of the villagers than the reunion playing out in front of her. “You know, battle waging outside?”

 

“It’s finished, Robin checked in. She’s sending Maribelle and Cordelia over soon with triage supplies. It’s being run from in here, I guess.” Inigo explains, waving his hands about. “I’m pretty sure everyone’s alright.”

 

“Okay, then. Brady, I’m going to talk to your mother when she arrives,” Lucina explains, taking his hand and squeezing, “Ricken is normally with Mother after battles, he’s been trying to pick up some strategy tips, he wants to beat Virion in chess. Inigo, take him to Owain? South door.”

 

“Gotcha, let’s go, bud,” Inigo mock salutes, before dragging Brady (who’s close to tears again) towards the south entrance. 

 

Left alone in the foyer of what appears to be, upon closer inspection, a temple, Lucina milled about and checked in on the villagers, hoping none were injured too badly. Most were alright, Maggie - who Brady was tending too earlier - only had a gash on her arm, Danesha had broken a hand punching the lights out of someone who tried to swipe an idol, and Dusty had lacerations on his abdomen, but not deep enough to present a real medical issue. Soon enough, Maribelle and Cordelia arrived with arms full of bandages and staves, hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. While they set to work, Lucina conversed with the villagers they had managed to save. Some offered her gifts as thanks, and others wept over sons and daughters lost in the fray before they arrived. When the conversations taper off, she moves on, onto the real target.

 

“Maribelle,” Lucina says, crouching next to her while she tends to Maggie’s wound, “May we speak for a moment? In private, sorry, Maggie.”

 

“No worries, dear.” Maggie waves them off, smirking like she knows something.

 

“Of course, Lucina,” Maribelle replies, ever proper, standing without a creak. Mother unlike son. “What’s the matter, my liege?”

 

“Please, I have no need for formalities. It’s about one of the villagers I encountered earlier, during the battle.” Lucina begins, doing her best to keep a relaxed face. Nobility, in her experience, were far too good at reading body language. 

 

“Is he injured? You should’ve brought him to triage, then, darling.” Maribelle replies.

 

“No, he’s alright. It’s just… I have to ask, why didn’t you ask me about your future children like the others?”

 

“I’m not entirely sure myself, but I suppose it’s something I don’t want to think about yet - children are for the future, and Ricken and I… we’re just kids still. Why are you asking me this?” Maribelle tells her, starting to get a little frustrated. She’s balling one fist, like Brady used to do when they were kids and Cynthia would tease him just a bit too much.

 

“He’s here. Your son, he was here during the battle.” Lucina finally spits out, but no relief comes with it. Maribelle’s face is full of fear.

 

“Is he..?”

 

“He’s quite alright, don’t worry. He’s down by the south entrance with Owain and Inigo. His name is Brady.” Lucina says, hoping to ease Maribelle’s apparent fear that her son passed in the fray. “He’s a healer, like you. He plays the violin as well.”

 

“Oh, that’s… I’m not sure what I’m feeling right now, it’s.. Unbecoming.” Maribelle rambles, fidgeting with her hair and shifting on her feet. “Does.. does he not want to see me?”

 

“Far from it, Maribelle.” Lucina assures her, putting a hand on her shoulder. “With Owain and Inigo, I didn’t get the chance to warn their parents beforehand and it… wasn’t the cleanest of reunions. I wanted to give you some warning if I was able to, and this time I was.”

 

“Thank you, Lucina.” Maribelle says. Lucina starts to say that there’s no need, but Maribelle cuts her off “For bringing him home safe. Thank you.”

 

“Of course.” She whispers. “Do you want me to bring him to you, or you to him?”

 

“Bring him in here, please, I’ve got to get Ricken first though, he- he deserves to be here too.” Maribelle says, and she’s out the door before Lucina can offer a reply. 

 

Lucina is quick to rush down the corridor leading to the south entrance, eager to finally reunite another one of her friends with their parents. 

 

“She’s gone to get your father,” Lucina starts, taking Brady by the hand, “but she’ll be back soon. She’ll meet us in the foyer. Let’s go.”

 

Owain and Inigo follow them back to the foyer, Owain diligently wiping away the tears budding in Brady’s eyes, before Lucina shoos them away. She’s sure that Inigo will whine and complain later about her being there and not them, but she was there for both Inigo and Owain, and so she’ll be here for Brady as well - and the others, if it comes to that. Before they see Maribelle and Ricken, they hear them, Ricken is mumbling up a storm -  _ what do you mean I have a son I’m 16 Mari what are you talking about Mari please. _

 

“You’ll see, come on, trust me for once!” Maribelle says, stepping into the door. “We have to trust Lucina, she  _ knows _ him, for Naga’s sake.”

 

“Maribelle…” Ricken is hesitant, Lucina can hear it in his voice. But, nonetheless, he follows her through the door, and comes face to face with his son, who towers at least two heads over him. Maribelle seems shocked at first, but she smiles so widely and clasps her hands tight in front of her chest. 

 

“...Hi.” Brady says, quietly. Lucina notices that he’s trying to look small, hunching his shoulders and looking down. “I’m- I’m Brady.”

 

Ricken doesn’t say anything for a minute, just staring, before letting out a little sigh, and asks his son to bend down so he can hug him. Brady, predictably, starts bawling and it isn’t very long before Maribelle is drawn into it too. Ricken manages to stave off the tears for a solid minute longer than Maribelle, but they’re all quickly a sobbing mess. Cordelia’s managed to keep the injured distracted enough, but Lucina catches Maggie smiling at the scene. The older woman almost looks sad, and Lucina knows that not everyone’s children come home. She hopes, though, that the rest do. Naga knows they have no need for more lifeless bodies. 


	4. Snowbound

Faced with depleting rations and lowering morale, Robin and Chrom make the executive decision to return to Regna Ferox for a brief reprieve. Flavia is kind enough to host them, welcoming the Shepherds and their newest additions to her hometown. It’s a small and humble village, perched on the northernmost coast and shrouded in snow drifts when they arrive. While the snow and frigid weather is initially unhelpful to morale, Owain’s ecstatic joy for snow that was actually white and not laced with the ash of fire soon made up for it. Flavia’s kin welcomed them with open arms, going as far as to erect a small cluster of makeshift homes to house them, the village without any inn. 

While in Flavia’s village, Lucina gets a true taste of Feroxi culture - as Basilio’s sellsword, she’d had some exposure, but being so close to the Ylissean border had made it difficult to see what her khan’s culture really was. Flavia’s mother gifts all of them, despite their numbers going above forty, with warm clothes and ear muffs to protect from frostbite in the severe cold. The men of the village break out the stores of thickly salted meat, and work together with the women to brew a hearty meal for their first night. She and the other children of the future entertain the children of the village, playing King of the Mountain and telling stories to those who would listen. One night, late in the evening when much of the village was laying down to sleep, Flavia approaches Lucina with a question.

 

“Did you ever spend any time in Ferox, when you come from?” She asks, cheeks red either with cold or alcohol, and two cups of what was presumably a warm mead in her hands. 

 

“Not much,” Lucina says, taking the cup if only for its warmth, “There was never really time. I knew of you, though.”

 

“How so, little warrior?” Flavia questions, and the tone in her voice quickly reveals that her cheeks are certainly red with alcohol. 

 

“One of my friends, you raised him after his parents died. He went to Ferox looking for Basilio, but he was already dead and you took him in in Basilio’s place.” Lucina says, hoping Flavia won’t remember in the morning. Gerome would kill Lucina if she did. “We haven’t found him yet, but he thought very highly of you.”

 

“Never pegged myself as one for kids,” Flavia says, a little slurred. “Guess an apocalypse will do that to you.”

 

“Maybe so. I should be getting to sleep, but thank you for the drink, Flavia.” Lucina says, setting down the cup having successfully seeped all the warmth from it. “You should sleep, too. Good night.” 

 

Lucina, despite the mead and cider, doesn’t sleep easy that night. Her dreams are plagued with old memories, the scene of her baby brother being impaled by a spear playing in her mind over and over again, the cycle only briefly broken by the visceral image of her baby sister’s broken body on a funeral pyre, breaking her from sleep in the dark of night. In the little makeshift hut, Owain, Inigo, and Brady are asleep beside her, nothing more than soft snores and quiet mumbles coming from her friends. For a short while, she just sits and watches them, hoping that seeing their steady breathing will slow her own rapid heart. 

 

In the end, she slinks out of the hut to clear her head, walk the perimeter of the village to assure herself that she’s safe. The local guards stop her when they see her, but quickly recognize her and let her continue her route. The snow crunching under her boot is satisfying in a way it wasn’t before, and before she realizes it, she’s ventured into the forest surrounding the village. It’s cold and smells deeply of pine, and of embers too - Lucina knows the scent of burning bodies too well to leave this alone. 

 

She happens across a decrypt wall, shielding the flame of a funeral pyre, and finds a lone maiden weeping into a bloody rag. The crunch of the snow gives her away and the woman turns towards her, but says nothing.

 

“What happened?” Lucina asks, coming up to sit on the wall with the woman. She rips a piece of her cloak off and offers it to her. The woman takes it, and Lucina sees a wedding band - this could either be a grieving widow or a devastated mother.

 

“M-My husband.. He protested our settlement’s leader’s cruel ways, but Cassius… he is truly a cruel man.” She says, voice wobbly. “He killed my husband to set an example.”

 

“That is.. truly horrific. This is his pyre?”

 

“Yes,” the maiden tells her, “he was an honorable man. And I am crying for him,  _ I am _ , but the girl we’ve taken in, she.. She’s taken it upon herself to avenge him, and Cassius will surely kill her too.”

 

“Is she going after him now?” Lucina asks, reaching over to grab the maiden’s hand. “I am of the Shepherds, I can rally a battalion to fight alongside her.”

 

“ _ Please _ ,” The woman cries, clinging the bloody cloth to her chest. “I can’t let her die too.”

 

“I’ll be back soon, I promise.” Lucina says, jumping from the wall and running as fast as her legs could carry her. The snow is still crunching under her feet, and fresh flakes are beginning to fall. Kjelle would think it was beautiful, the snow falling under the stars and the overwhelming scent of pine - she was always sentimental, and Lucina knows how fond Kjelle’s mother was of spending winters in the forests of South Ferox. 

 

Robin, needless to say, is not very happy when Lucina bursts into her parents’ hut in the early hours of the morning. Robin has always been a light sleeper, waking at the slightest of sounds (and finding out that her husband was quite the snorer wasn’t fun), and her daughter’s frustrated cries weren’t exempt from that. 

 

“Lucina..? What’s wrong, sweetpea?” Robin mumbled, rolling over to look at her daughter. 

 

“There’s a settlement in the woods that needs our help, I was walking in the forest after a nightmare and I found a woman and a funeral pyre, and another innocent person might die. Please.” Lucina rambled, tears of frustration and building anger pooling in her eyes. 

 

“Alright. Wake the kids, get Sully, Miriel, Stahl, Virion, and Cordelia. Take them to the settlement, your father and I will be there shortly.” Robin directs, sitting up and stretching before reaching over to shove Chrom awake. “If you get there before us, go ahead and start the battle, trust your instincts.”

 

“Thank you, Mother.” 

 

When Lucina and the children arrive, the older shepherds following behind them, the maiden ushers them and wishes them the best of luck in their battle. The settlement, which appears to be built on the remains of an ancient building, the brick greying and crumbling. In the far end of the great hall, a young woman in steel armor is readying her lance and an elderly sorcerer motions to a general and the hall fills with archers and other mages, clearly to overwhelm the poor woman. 

 

“Coward!” The girl yells, the sound reverberating through the hall. “You promised me a fair duel, blackheart!”

 

The sorcerer, who Lucina assumes is the cruel Cassius, says something back and the girl lunges for him. The battle begins - Owain acting as Brady’s guard so he can heal as the Shepherds are harmed, Inigo does his best to pick off the archers before they can land any blows, and the elder Shepherds have their hands full with the seemingly endless number of mages that filter through the southwest stairwell. Lucina is left to charge ahead and aid the woman in her battle against Cassius. 

 

The woman is, even from a distance, very overwhelmed with archers and mages surrounding her. She is heavily armored, leaving her vulnerable to magic, but she’s holding her own yet. Lucina manages to take out one of the mages that’s preparing to deal what could be a deadly blow, and swings the body into another mage - gruesome, but unavoidable. The woman goes to attack her, but stops with a gasp.

“Lucina?!”

 

“Kjelle, is that you? Wait, fight now, talk later.” Lucina chokes out, reaching to grasp Kjelle’s arm before spinning again to plunge her sword through an archer’s heart. The first three times it was alright, but if she’s going to reunite with her friends in the midst of battle every time, it’s going to get old soon. As she and Kjelle make their way through Cassius’s henchmen, down the hall Sully and Virion are doing the same, and soon enough Cassius is facing his demise, Kjelle holding the tip of her spear to the man’s throat.

 

“I told you I would have vengeance. I’d offer you your last words, but the likes of you don’t deserve any.” Kjelle says cooly, though it’s clear that the fire of her anger is still burning. “I pray Naga takes no mercy on you.”

 

And then, it is done. 

 

Kjelle’s focus, unlike the others in the aftermaths of their own battles, is on the people of the settlement. Lucina watches from afar as Kjelle converses with the maiden from the pyre, and sees that the woman offers her something. Kjelle takes it, and embraces her, seeming to wish her well. She walks back to where Lucina is standing, waiting for her, holding a parcel wrapped in cloth, the piece torn from Lucina’s cloak earlier. 

 

“How have you been? No, how long has it been? Since you’ve landed, I mean.” Lucina starts, then offering “It’s been nearly two and a half years for me.”

 

“About a year, I think.” Kjelle says, her shoulders sagging a bit, exhaustion from the battle likely setting in. “That woman, she took me in, and her husband trained me. I wanted to stay sharp, and he said he needed to get ready for something. I didn’t know it would end with his death.”

 

“It wasn’t your fault, Kjelle.” Lucina says, putting a hand out to rest on Kjelle’s shoulder. “You can’t blame yourself. It’ll destroy you.”

 

“I know. What are you even doing here though? I may not know much about where I am, but I know I’m not anywhere near Ylisse.” Kjelle offers, probably hoping to change the tone of the conversation. 

 

“We’re at war with Valm, and the Shepherds were stationed there for a few months. Morale and supplies were low, though, so we decided to return home for a short while. Khan Flavia offered to host us, and her home village isn’t far from here, just through the woods. I couldn’t sleep, so I went for a walk and found that woman, and I couldn’t let someone face a man so cruel alone. Mother let me rally a small force to come and fight. Your mother is here, and father too. They’re… quite the pair.” Lucina explains, leaning against the wall. 

 

“Truly?” Kjelle asks, as if she can’t believe it. The genuine shock in her eyes makes Lucina believe that she really can’t.

 

“Yes. Mother instructed me to bring them, so I did. A few of the others are here, too.” Lucina replies, smiling. 

 

“Which?” Kjelle asks, a look of disbelief still written on her face.

 

“Owain, Inigo, and Brady. Owain’s been spinning tales about our adventures to tell the Shepherds at dinner time. It’ll be good to have you back.” Lucina smiles wider, “Do you want me to introduce you to Sully and Virion?”

 

“ _ Please _ ” Kjelle whispers, but there’s desperation in her voice. Lucina knows the feeling.

 

“Let’s go, they should still be in the hall’s foyer.”

 

“Have they asked about me?” Kjelle asks, following Lucina down the hall at her steady pace, despite knowing that running would get her there faster. 

 

“Your father has, he’s only asked a few things though. Some of the Shepherds are hesitant to ask, it seems. He wanted to know which of them you resembled more, if you grew up in Ylisse or Roseanne, and if you came back with us.” Lucina replies evenly, hoping to keep Kjelle calm. 

 

“And my mother?”

 

“When Owain first arrived and they realized I wasn’t the only one, she asked if she had a child. I told her of you, and she smiled. She hasn’t asked any more yet. Ah, there they are - Sully, Virion!” Lucina calls, waving for the other two to see. 

 

“What’s up, kiddo?” Sully calls back, grabbing onto her husband’s sleeve and pulling him along as she walks towards Lucina. “Who’s this?”

 

“This is a friend of mine, the one who we came to fight alongside. Her name is Kjelle.” Lucina says, hoping to keep things calm - Kjelle’s family hasn’t been known for being calm in most situations.

 

“Cute name. You look awful young to be fighting corrupt lawmakers, though.” Sully says, a smirk on her face. 

 

“Runs in the family. My parents are… were soldiers, noble ones.” Kjelle replies, voice shaky. “They passed, though.”

 

“Lucina,” Virion starts, brows furrowed, “pardon the interruption, but didn’t you tell me… that Sully and I’s daughter’s name was Kjelle?”

 

“I did.” Lucina smiles, hoping that they both pick up what she’s putting down.

 

“Oh, kiddo..” Sully sighs, shoulders sagging. “It’s good to meet you.”

 

“It’s.. it’s really good to see you.” Kjelle says, smiling even though tears are starting to pool in her eyes. “It’s  _ so _ good to see both of you again.”

 

Virion opens his arms and motions for her, and Kjelle, despite still being in her heavy armor, reaches out to embrace her father. Sully joins in on the hug, and Lucina leaves them be - Kjelle has wounds that need mending and ties that need reconnecting. There will be time for reunions with the others later, for now, Kjelle needs this precious moment of peace with her parents.


	5. Leaf in the Wind

Kjelle’s reunion with her parents seems to go smoothly - Sully is quick to integrate her into her own training regimen, and Lucina suspects that it’s Sully’s way of bonding with Kjelle. Virion, after a few incidents in the kitchen, has set about teaching Kjelle some of the traditional Roseannian dishes she missed out on growing up. There is, of course, a happy reunion with the three boys, but it’s over and done with quick enough, their bickering picking right back up where they left. It’s comfortable, now, to hear Owain and Inigo teasing each other, and Kjelle joins in every once in a while, and it reminds her of home.

 

Lucina has to remember, though. This is home now - this time, this turmoil, this war. 

 

But for now, the war is stalled. Emperor Walhart seems to have ceased his assaults for the time being, puzzling Robin, given no obvious reason to stop what’s so far been a successful campaign. Say’ri suggests that it’s because of a lunar holiday, but it’s a curious matter. Nonetheless, they take this reprieve in strides - they stay in Ferox a few more days after the incident with Cassius’s settlement before taking to the sea again. 

 

“I never thought I’d be able to see so much water in one place,” Kjelle remarks when they reach the harbor, laughing a little when Owain runs to play in the banks. “It’s strange, but I like it.”

 

“The journey will be short, but there’s much more sea to see.” Lucina replies, smiling. “Though you may get sea-sick. I did the first time we traveled over water.”

 

Kjelle does, indeed, end up getting sea sick, but she smiles through it - Brady whips up a tincture to ease it, and all is well again. Upon landing, Owain is insistent that since they’re travelling south anyways, they may as well check in on the village that hosted him. It takes them a solid month and a half to reach the village, but the sages and bishops welcome them and host them for a solid week, and Owain is more than pleased to regale the children he knew from his weeks there with stories of his new life - fighting for the greater good, with as many embellishments as possible. A sweltering heat wave is passing through, fitting for the summer months. 

 

On the third night, Robin pulls Lucina aside at dinner. 

 

“This may seem like an unusual request, but I was wondering if you’d answer a few questions about the future for me.” Robin states, wasting no time beating around the bush.

 

“Of course, Mother. I’ll do my best to answer them,” Lucina replies. “What do you wish to start with?”

 

“Did you have any siblings?”

 

“Oh, um..” Lucina stutters, surprised - she hadn’t anticipated this. “Yes, I did.”

 

“What.. did anything happen to them?” Robin asks, fiddling with her fingers. An anxious quirk, perhaps? Lucina wouldn’t know, she’d never seen her mother nervous before.

 

“In a way,” She settles on, hoping to leave her youngest sibling out of it - little Emmie was long gone, but Morgan may still be out there. “I have a younger brother, Morgan. He’s a lot like you, always so smart. He vanished, though, a year or two before we came back.”

 

“Do you know what happened to him?” Robin’s hands have settled over her stomach, like she’s guarding something. “It’s alright if you don’t, but I…”

 

“I don’t. But I can only hope that Naga somehow brought him back with us too. Why do you ask, now of all times?” Lucina asks, still curious - she hadn’t pegged her mother to be one of the few that have asked about their children. 

 

“Well, it’s sort of complicated, I suppose.” Robin starts, fiddling with her hands again. “I’m not certain, but I think… I might be pregnant. I can’t be sure, though, but I’ve been sick like I was with you.”

 

“Oh, Mother..” Lucina sighs and holds her hands out over the table, squeezing them when Robin holds hers out. “Have you told Father?”

 

“No. I want to be sure before I do, so don’t tip him off on this, okay?” Robin explains, but asking for secrecy is unusual. Her mother’s never confided in her like this before, and Lucina’s not sure how to go about it. 

 

“Alright. Have you spoken to Lissa or one of the other healers about it, though? The stress of the war certainly can’t be good for him.” Lucina doesn’t know why she says  _ him _ , because something flashes in her mother’s eyes when she does and she doesn’t know what it means. Lucina can’t imagine going through what her mother is, to be with child in a time of chaos… it’s just unfathomable. 

 

“I’m planning on speaking to Libra tomorrow. Lissa would blow my cover within seconds of me telling her, though.” Robin laughs a little, before squeezing Lucina’s hands tighter. “Thank you, Lucina.”

 

“No need, Mother. Anything.”

 

Nothing is announced, and no rumors make their way through camp. But Libra smiled at Lucina during breakfast on the fifth day, and Chrom is in high spirits after that. When she thinks about it, the timing matches up - it’s the middle of August, and Morgan’s birthday is in early May. Almost nine months.

 

Nine months, and Lucina is a sister again.

 

But these happy and pleasant days are quickly over. The night before they’ve planned to leave, to continue down the southeast coast, a traveling merchant collapses at the gates and gives word of trouble brewing on the Viridian Isle. Robin is insistent on making the journey to the island, and Chrom doesn’t seem as willing to assist as he usually is. Lucina suspects it’s because of the baby -  _ the baby, still strange to even think about  _ \- but he ultimately gives in, only requesting that Robin stays on the sidelines, to which she concedes. 

 

But, unfortunately, from the minute they step on the island, their mission goes to shit. Villagers, who they would usually rely on to steer them in the right way towards the conflict, shy away this time, begging and pleading that they don’t take any more than what they already have. It’s confusing, but Frederick, ever diligent, does a little investigating and uncovers the source of the problem; a ruffian masquerading as Chrom himself. It’s disappointing, to know that such a horrid war has driven men to do such awful things, but it’s inescapable now, just as it was in Lucina’s past. 

 

Another inescapable event that seems to keep cropping up are the young fighters who are always caught in the conflicts, and Lucina’s going to get sick of it  _ soon _ . It was one thing for Owain to be fighting, he always had a penchant for finding trouble, and Inigo and Kjelle made sense too - they were always ready to take up arms for their own reasons. But Brady was merely stuck in the crosshairs, and it seemed that Cynthia would be no exception. Well, finding her fighting against the Shepherds was a new deviation in the pattern, but still, it’s an act that’s getting old fast. 

 

“Mother, I recognize one of the brigand’s fliers, it may be a friend of mine.” Lucina informs Robin just before the initial charge, “I’d like to try and figure out what’s going on with her before we make our advance.”

 

“Sure, but do it fast, Freddy’s itching to kick the crap out of this guy. Wait, one of your friends? Whose kid?” Robin replies, barely looking up from the maps that surround her.

 

“Sumia and Gaius’s daughter, Cynthia. She’s always been a little gullible, so she may have been tricked into fighting by whoever’s pretending to be Father.” Lucina says, “I’m going to let them know before I go out to look.”

 

“Don’t be surprised if Sumia cries, but go for it. Remember to signal when you’ve got her, so we can charge.” Robin advises, before standing and putting a hand on Lucina’s shoulder. “They were trying for a kid the whole two years between wars, so they’ll be happy to know. Stay safe out there.”

 

“Of course, Mother.”

Robin was right - Sumia does cry, and Gaius does his best to hide the sheen in his eyes. Sumia tells Lucina to bring their daughter home safe, and Lucina promises. Gaius hands her a tincture he swears by, to keep her steps quiet behind enemy lines. Ultimately, though, Cynthia sees her first - rightly so that she should see through the tincture, given that she’s used it herself for years.

 

“Halt! Who goes there, brigand?” Cynthia yells, circling overhead like a vulture, “Don’t think I don’t see you!”

 

“Cynthia! It’s me, Lucina!” She yells, waving with Falchion in her right hand. She hears Cynthia gasp and soon enough Bellefire is in front of her and licking Lucina’s face, her rider dismounting with a fair amount of trouble. “Cynthia,”

 

“Lucina! You’re here! Oh my gods, it’s been too long!” Cynthia exclaims, rushing towards Lucina for a hug, squeezing her tight before letting go, “Wait, but that means my Chrom’s a fake! Oh, I’m going to  _ kill _ him-”   
  


“Before you do, I need to ask - how long?” 

 

“Oh, uhmm… A few weeks, I think? You know I’ve never been good with time, but at least two weeks. Why?” Cynthia rambles, flapping her hands at her sides. “Were you here before me?”

 

“I’ve been here coming up on three years, Ylisse is at war with Valm now. It’s complicated, but the others can fill you in after the fight,” Lucina says, meaning to continue before Cynthia cuts her off,

 

“Others? What others? Who else is here?”

 

“Well, the actual Shepherds, for one. Owain, Inigo, Brady, and Kjelle are here too, I’ve stumbled upon them in battles like this over the past two months.” Lucina explains, smiling slightly when Cynthia’s flapping picks up pace. “Let’s get this battle done with, so we can fill you in at camp - they’ll all be so glad to see you.”

 

“Let’s go, then! Hop on, I know where that  _ snake _ is hiding, and I’m ready to kick butt!” Cynthia said, hollering as they took to the air. Lucina called out, signaling to Mother that their deluge could proceed. Cynthia amicably chattered throughout the battle, only pausing her tales of her three weeks with the fake Chrom to thrust her spear into her once-comrades’ chests. Bellefire carried them graciously, working hard despite the mare’s old age, and Lucina made mental note to find fresh apples to give the mare after the battle.

 

“Sooooooo, Lucina.” Cynthia began, guiding Bellefire back to the air to circle back to the Shepherd’s camp, Frederick taking care of Ruger as they spoke. “Do you know my parents?”

 

“Yes, I spoke to them before coming to get you. They’re both eager to meet you.” Lucina says evenly, knowing how prone to emphatic outbursts the other girl was. “Sumia made me promise to bring you home safe.”

 

“Oh, I’m.. I’m so glad.” Cynthia said, muted by her growing sniffles. “A-and Father?”

 

“Gaius is excited too. He almost cried when I told them I thought I saw you behind enemy lines.” Lucina pauses while Cynthia lets a loud sniffle pass, “He gave a tincture he swore by to help me stay hidden while looking for you. They’re both so excited, I promise.”

 

Upon landing, Bellefire promptly shakes them both off of her, flopping in the sun for a nap. Lucina does her best to stifle the giggles and calls for Cordelia to ensure that the mare isn’t harmed while her riders are away. Cynthia lovingly smooth’s her steed’s mane before stepping away to let Cordelia take over, still wiping stray tears away. 

 

“Will you take me to see them?” Cynthia asks, one hand still flapping excitedly at her left side. “I want to but I need.. Need you to be there too.”

 

“Of course,” Lucina replies, taking Cynthia’s right hand and turning towards the center of camp, “They’re probably milling around, Mother wouldn’t let them fight without knowing how you fared.”

 

They walk slowly towards the center of camp, Lucina’s grip on Cynthia’s hand staying firm as they match each other's pace. Lucina vaguely recalls walks like this from before things had gone bad, when Sumia would bring Cynthia to the castle to play in the afternoons and Cynthia would drag her around the perimeter of the royal gardens, just to see the violets and chrysanthemums. They hadn’t had the chance to walk like this since her coronation, Cynthia too busy training with her lance to gaze at wilting flowers. A call for her name jolts her out of reminiscing, Lucina jerking her gaze up to see Sumia and Gaius jogging towards them. 

 

“Hey,” She calls back plainly, pretending not to notice Cynthia’s grip tightening. She waits for them to come closer, before introducing their daughter to them, “This is Cynthia.”

 

“Hi,” Cynthia says meekly, barely keeping a lid on her left hand’s shaking. 

 

“It’s  _ so _ good to meet you,” Sumia says, before reaching out to hug her daughter, Gaius quickly following to make it a group hug. “We’ve waited so long.”

 

Lucina is fearful for a moment that Cynthia will push them away - she knows all to well that Cynthia has never liked being touched, much less hugged, and it would put a damper on such a heartfelt reunion. But, she is afraid for nothing, because Cynthia wraps her arms around her parents tightly and lets out a soft whine, crying right alongside her parents. Lucina leaves them be once Cynthia thinks to open her eyes and mouth ‘ _ go _ ’ at her, returning to her parents tent to bring the good news.

 

She herself stumbles upon a soft reunion, her Father bruised and littered with scrapes wrapping his arms around Mother, pressing their foreheads together. When they realize she’s there, they don’t break away like they would’ve months before, and it makes Lucina hopeful that she’ll have a family here even once this mess is done with. She tells them the good news before bowing out, leaving them to their own tender moment before she breaks the news to the others - Owain will be ecstatic, one person closer to a reunion of the Justice Cabal, waiting only for Morgan. Morgan, who she realizes as she steps out of that tent, two years her younger. And the her of this world, only months old? She peeks back in to see her father’s hand drift to her mother’s stomach, and it’s all the more crushing as she realizes that  _ this  _ Morgan is simply not meant to be.


	6. Venomous Tears

After their adventures on the Viridian Isle, they decide on the part of majority rules to return to their home continent to seek reinforcements from the Plegian theocrat. Robin seems uneasy to do so, but agrees that additional soldiers would make their eventual assault on Walhart easier to accomplish. Only Robin, Chrom, and Frederick meet with the newly coronated king of Plegia, but something about him is familiar to Lucina - she can’t quite place it, unsure if it’s a memory from this time or the past. 

 

Overall, they are hosted with dignity and respect, though a few struggle with the foreign customs of Plegia. Inigo had vehemently scolded Owain for showing the bottom of his shoes when they had all sat around in a lowered seating area, whacking Owain when he didn’t comply. Lucina figured it was something he had picked up from his Plegian father, but then again… Henry wasn’t the archetypical Plegian most of them had seen, and their hosts had seemed reluctant to allow him into the castle. 

 

Cynthia, recently reunited, takes up most of the conversation. She wants to know all there is of the world and tell them of her adventures on the Isle during the three weeks she served under Ruger, and her excitement only pushes her to speak faster, her hands flapping excitedly. While they’re listening raptly to her tales, Owain throwing in embellishments of his own every now and then, someone, a handmaid or server she presumes, slips a note under Lucina’s coaster. She doesn’t notice it until they’re well into the night, when Cynthia is finally started to crash and Owain is resolved to carrying a sleeping Brady back to their quarters. 

 

It’s only a slip of yellowed paper, with hurried and slanted writing on it -  _ mercenary fortress to the east. sister’s family, desperate, help, naga guides us so _ . Lucina decides she is too much like her father when she herself resolves to help, despite the potential of an ambush or a set up. The author of the note mentioned Naga, a rare figure in the minds of the Plegian populace, Grima being the favored deity, and so there’s an underlying layer of trust - a follower of Naga is a friend to peaceful endeavors. 

 

“Are you certain, Lucina? This could very well be a trap,” Robin questions when Lucina presents the scrap of paper, staring at it like the slant of a word would give some clue to the intentions of whoever wrote it. 

 

“I don’t know, but I feel we should at least look to see if there’s truly danger at the fortress. It may be on our route back to Valm should we return via the Viridian Isle.” Lucina says, sighing, “Isn’t this what the Shepherds are supposed to do? Help people in need?”

 

“...She’s got a point.” Chrom offers, shrugging when Robin gives him a look. “What? It’s true.”

 

“We’ll return to Valm on a route that’ll put us near this fortress, but we’ll only intervene if necessary - this could still be a trap, or an ambush.” Robin decides, handing the paper back, “But we’ll be here a few days yet, for rest and recuperation.”

 

“Thank you, Mother. I know I ask much from you, but thank you.” Lucina surges forward to hug her mother before running out to alert the other children, even if it means rousing a few of them from sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

Ultimately, the King of Plegia denies their request for more soldiers to bolster their roster, instead giving them a fair amount of bullions from the royal vault. It’s disappointing, but she has a feeling that with their current track record, they’ll happen upon another one of the future children soon. Struck by a strange impulse, Lucina walks alongside Cordelia when the march in the mornings, stumbling through sand in awkward steps.

 

“What made you decide to walk with us this morning, Lucina?” Cordelia asks her after a few moments, keeping a steady grip on the bridle that’s keeping her own steed, Aurora, from getting too far ahead. “You typically walk with your father or friends.”

 

“I’m not entirely sure,” Lucina replies, adjusting the pack on her back. She has few belongings, but rarely lets the burlap sack that holds them out of her sight. 

 

“Well, since you’re here, do you mind if I ask a few things?” 

 

“Not at all. I’m assuming these questions will be about your child?” Lucina’s response yields a red flush across Cordelia’s face, and she laughs a little bit. “Don’t worry, it’s alright. A few of the others have asked me about it too, but now that our storyteller Owain is here, he’s been the go to. I’ll answer to the best I can.”

 

“Okay. Do I have a son or a daughter? I’m fine with either, but I think Stahl would end up being partial to a girl..” Cordelia is determined to not make eye contact with Lucina, but she doesn’t mind it. It’s probably better that Cordelia goes unaware of her daughter’s relationship to Lucina until she arrives.

 

“You have a daughter, Severa. She looks a lot like Stahl, similar coloring.” Lucina says. Cordelia has a small smile on her face.

 

“What’s she like?”

 

“Well… she’s got a rough exterior, honestly. She didn’t have it easy growing up, you both… passed before her twelfth birthday, and she puts up this rough and tumble persona to cope with it. She adored you, though. If things had gone a bit better, I can imagine she’d have become a pegasus knight like you.” Lucina rambles a little, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear like Severa once had on a warm summer night. “She was one of our fiercest fighters, though, we almost lost her once or twice because she went out of her way to save a child. She cared for Aurora as long as she could, too.”

 

“She sounds like a perfect daughter,” Cordelia remarks, wiping at her eyes a little - tears? Severa would be pleased to know what her mother thought, would be in tears herself to know that her mother called her perfect. 

 

“She is. She did so much to keep your memory alive once you passed, yours and Stahls. She may seem… distant when we find her, but she does love you. There’s just… a lot of trauma involved, I think.” Lucina tells her, hoping Cordelia will remember her words when they find Severa. 

 

“That’s more than understandable,” Cordelia says, a little quieter than before. “I would understand, at least. Losing my sisters, er, the uh, the other knights I trained with, was more than hard, so… I think I could understand if she were hesitant to see us.”

 

Lucina gives Cordelia a soft smile, to which she returns, and they carry on in silence. 

 

* * *

 

 

When they arrive at the mercenary’s fortress, they can already hear the din of metal hitting metal. Robin sighs before rallying a small force, and sends Lucina ahead of them to scope out any civilians who may’ve been caught in the fray. Lucina wonders if this is her mother trusting her to help others, or relying on the fact that Lucina seems to be a magnet for the other future children? Either way, Lucina downs another of Gaius’s tinctures for good luck, and makes her way to the south east corridors first.

 

Trudging through the sands surrounding the building is, frankly, a pain in the ass, and yields little - she stumbles first upon the recently dead body of an elder, who she assumes was killed by yet another malicious settlement leader. She finds, moments later, a young mother and a child barely out of infancy cowering in what little shade the towers of the fortress provides. She points them in the direction of the Shepherds’ camp, telling them they’ll find safety there. The mother begs her to save her husband, a man named Holland, who’s forced to fight for rations they desperately need to feed their child. Lucina promises she’ll save him, and she hopes she can keep it. Lucina asks if the woman has a sister who works in the Plegian Castle, and the woman says yes through tears. 

 

On the steps of the southern entrance, Lucina finds Holland - he’s thin and slightly older than his wife, and looks like he’ll collapse in the heat. He’s taking quite the verbal beating from the young woman standing next to him, whose yelling at him something along the lines of getting his life together and fighting for his loved ones. He, and the woman, are weilding swords, leading Lucina to slink along the walls of the fort until the woman catches a glimpse of her blue clothes, standing out against the limestone like a clown at a funeral. 

 

“Hey, who’s there?!” She yells, adjusting her sword to the offensive and stomping down the steps, “You here to fight or not, coward?!”

 

“I come in peace,” Lucina yells back, stepping out from the shadow. As the woman comes closer, her features come into greater definition, and there’s something so intimately familiar about the green sheen of her hair. “Wait, Severa?”

 

“Wh- Lucina? Gods, what are you doing here?” Severa exclaims, stopping in her tracks and resuming a defensive position, “I swear to Naga if this is another heat induced delusion, I’ll go fucking insane.”

 

“I’m real,” Lucina says, stepping forward and extending a hand, “I’m real and I’m here. What are you doing here?”

 

“I- fuck, I have not eaten enough to deal with this. I work for the shitstain that runs this fortress.” Severa says, taking Lucina’s hand and yanking her closer, “Gods, I missed you.”

 

“I missed you, too,” Lucina smiles, leaning forward to press their foreheads together. “The Shepherds and I are returning to Valm after a failed negotiation with Plegia’s king, and we were passing by and heard the telltale sounds of a battle going on. I persuaded my mother to allow us to investigate, and now we’re here.”

 

“Uhm, Severa…” Holland interrupts, shifting on his feet and glancing back and forth at them and the door they stood before, “S-shouldn’t we be fighting her…?”

 

“Ugh, Holland!” Severa moans, turning to face the man, “Remember what we were talking about? Killing Nelson and getting you and your family out of here? Ring any bells?”

 

“I found his wife and child on the way here,” Lucina says, hoping it’ll hold Severa’s anger back, “I sent her towards our camp, where they’ll be safe and fed a good meal.”

 

“Oh,” Holland wheezes, “That’s good.”

 

“Ugh, useless. Where’s the camp?” Lucina points due west, “Then, Holland, go that way. Leave it to me to take down Nelson. Be with your family.”

“There’ll be people posted nearby. Good luck,” Lucina says, but can hardly get a word out before Holland is already running towards where Severa pointed. “He seems… nice.”

 

“He’s been kind to me. Anyways, wanna help me kill this dickmonger who stole my moms ring from me?” Severa says with a smirk, playing it off like it’s nothing, but Lucina can see the rage in her eyes. Like her mother, Severa isn’t the best at hiding what she really feels, despite how hard she tries. 

 

“Call it a date, and I’m in.” Severa’s smirk gets a little wider, and Lucina takes Severa’s hand back into hers, and they walk together into enemy territory. 

 

As they battle, Lucina lets little inklings of information slip - yes, they are at war with Valm. Yes, Emmeryn did die in this world as she did in theirs. No, they’ve yet to find a way to locate the other kids. Yes, her parents are aware of her existence, and yes, they do want to meet you. 

 

It almost slows the battle down to half speed, these little things, drawing her attention away from the battle before them and back to the miniscule bits of emotion Severa lets slide through her facade. There’s a wrinkle in the corner of her eyes when she hears that her parents want to see her, and a furrow in her brow when she hears of Emmeryn’s death. But the battle goes on. They make their way through the halls and corridors, Severa leading Lucina to the room Nelson does all his bidding from. When they arrive, Stahl has a sword to Nelson’s throat, and Lucina calls for him to stop.

 

“She deserves to be his life-taker more.” Lucina says, though it’s strange on her tongue - she hasn’t felt this way before, so angry at someone she doesn’t know. But Severa takes the chance to viciously plunge her sword through Nelson’s chest, and he is gone quickly. She rifles through his pockets until she finds her own treasure - a simple silver ring, no jewels or embellishments save the inscribed date on the inside. Lucina knows this from sleepless nights with Severa - they’ve sat and pondered what their parents’ weddings were like, and Severa said she always wanted the spring wedding that her parents had.

 

“That… that looks like my ring.” Cordelia murmurs from her husband's side, gaining Severa’s attention. “Severa?”

 

“It is your ring.” Severa says, looking her mother in the eyes before turning to her father, “They never found Daddy’s.” 

 

“Oh, baby,” Cordelia mumbles, stepping forward to hug her daughter through tears. Severa is stiff in her hold, but melts into tears before too awful long. Stahl, unlike other fathers who’ve been through similar reunions, doesn’t join in on the hug. He stands still for a moment, probably processing, and waits for Cordelia to let their daughter go before pulling her into a bone-crushing hug. 

 

“It’s good to see you, too, Dad.” Severa mumbles into Stahl’s shoulder, and he squeezes her tighter. 


	7. Paper Faces on Parade

Severa’s introduction to the Shepherds is not as easy as others - she’s not a fan of Vaike already, snapping at him for being too loud at her first dinner with them, and she’s probably not what most of them imagined Cordelia’s child to be like. She is, however, thoroughly pleased to know that she’ll be getting hot meals every morning, afternoon, and night, and nearly cries when Lucina procures a small tin of lotion stolen from Maribelle’s cache. Cynthia is quick to fall back into her teasing and playful routine with Severa, and the Snark and Bark Society is revived at last. 

 

Severa’s arrival also brings about some changes. For the past few months, they’ve all been sharing a tent with Lucina - in the past, they’d barely had enough material to make more than one tent, so they slept together in a pile, or slept as much as they could. With Severa’s addition to the crew, they expand to two tents, one for the girls and one for the boys. Inigo whines about having to share a tent with their resident lovebirds, but shuts up when Kjelle says she and Cynthia will be doing the same without the whining. It’s still close enough to their old, habitual sleeping pile, so the two tent system works out well enough.

 

They embark back on their journey to Valm the day after the battle for the fortress, Robin determined to make this war as short as she can, despite opposing forces taking their sweet time with launching new attacks. Severa, who collected quite the number of small bullions from Nelson’s corpse, spends her money frivolously, on beauty products and small comforts, but Lucina can’t blame her - if she were stuck in the desert that long, she’d want a fair supply of skin creams too. 

 

Once back on the Valmese shore, Cherche receives a letter from home - Wyvern Valley is supposedly the next on General Pheros’ list, putting the near endangered population of wyverns inhabiting the valley at risk for decimation. Robin, sympathetic to Cherche’s cause and knowing that their own army relies upon the beasts, allows a small force to be formed to survey the valley and ensure that it stays safe until Pheros passes. Lucina volunteers to be on the force, and is upright with Cherche when she asks about it.

 

“Before we came back to the past, your son decided he would only come to release his Minerva in Wyvern Valley, to give her peace in the last years of her life. If we are going to find him, it’ll be here.” Lucina had explained to Cherche, hoping that she’d still let Lucina come.

 

“I see,” Cherche had said, “Then please, come with us.”

 

“Thank you, but I have another request - allow Inigo to come with us too? He was quite close to your son, and he’s eager to be reunited with him.”

 

“Of course,” Cherche smiles, “Any friend of my son’s is a friend of mine.”

 

The journey to Wyvern Valley is for the most part peaceful. They walk in the lulls of the valleys, only climbing up when Cherche feels they’re growing close. Wyverns of varying size and color flock around them, watching curiously from above as they make their way by. Cherche lets Minerva fly freely, allowing her to swoop and play with the other wyverns, chirping and clicking excitedly from the sky. Inigo nearly cries when one of the feral wyverns (though perhaps feral isn’t the right word, because they’re hardly malicious) ends up drooling on him from above, and it’s hard for Lucina to stifle her laughs.

 

The village they arrive to is in chaos - Valmese men atop wyverns are wreaking havoc on the peaceful caretakers, an unfortunate few being flung over the side of the cliffs. Lucina can barely make out who’s who, but Gerome’s… unique armor is distinctive enough, and so she ends up dragging Inigo towards him without so much as a word to Cherche. 

 

“Gerome!” She calls, keeping a fast but steady pace with Inigo stumbling to keep up, “Gerome,  _ hey _ !!”

“Wh- Lucina?” Gerome murmurs to himself, before calling her over a little louder, “Lucina! I’m here.”

 

“Thank the gods,” She says when she’s finally in front of him, Inigo heaving at her side. “We’ve been looking for you.”

 

“Inigo? Why are you both here?” Gerome questions, not moving from his place on Minerva’s back.

 

“To get you, dipshit,” Inigo wheezes, coughing a little bit.

 

“What Inigo means to say is that your mother received word that Wyvern Valley may have been on Valm’s hit list, so my mother created a small party to defend it until one of their generals, Pheros, passes through the region.” Lucina explains, hoping that Gerome won’t fly away like he was prone to in the past. 

 

“Also to get you, emphasis on the dipshit.” Lucina elbows Inigo in the side, hitting his ribs if his renewed wheezing is anything to go on.

 

“Oh,” He says like he was expecting a different answer, “then Inigo, get on. Whoever these guys are, they’re going after the wyverns. Lucina, alert the others that I’ll be fighting.”

 

“Good to have you back, babe,” Inigo says as he climbs onto Minerva’s back with minimal stumbles. “Time to kick ass.”

 

“Will do. Stay safe, boys.” Lucina says as Minerva takes off, even though she knows they won’t be able to hear her. She runs back to where Cherche is directing their forces, yells something to the means of ‘ _ found your son, went to fight, be right back _ ’, and rushes back into the fray. She does her best to keep her eyes on Gerome, not keen to lose him again, but the chaos she’s trying to reign in makes it a little difficult. 

 

The battle doesn’t last long, fortunately. Cherche was more than adept at choosing her players - Lon’qu especially has made quick work of the Valmese fliers, armed with a wyrmslayer. They reconvene in the village courtyard when the battle is done, and it’s almost hard to hear one another over the baffled chittering and clacking the twin Minervas are producing. 

 

“So, I take it you are my son, then?” Cherche asks Gerome once he’s successfully off of Minerva. He doesn’t say anything, so Cherche continues, “I’m glad to meet you, though I’m sure you may not feel the same - I don’t know much about what you’ve been through, but from what Lucina’s told us of it, you lost us young.”

 

Lon’qu appears behind his wife, a little spatter of blood still on his cheek. He only looks between Gerome and Cherche once before paling, like he’d never thought of children before. Gerome winces, likely well aware of his father’s minute actions. Lucina’s about to intervene before Cherche starts to speak again. 

 

“I would understand if you didn’t want to see us, or speak to us - seeing Severa with her parents was educational enough. But I do want you to know that we want to see you, and we want to get to know you. At the very least, come back to camp with us.” Cherche says, holding her hand out, likely with the hope that he would take it.

 

“I.. will come back with you.” Gerome settles on, looking down at his mother’s hand but not taking it. Cherche smiles, and reaches out to take Gerome’s hand anyways.

 

“Thank you,” She whispers. And so they embarked, back to the shores they first landed on - Gerome, Lon’qu, and Cherche fly home, both wyverns too eager to play and investigate the other, leaving their riders a fair amount of time to begin gentle conversation. Lucina knows full well that Gerome will be far too hesitant for his own good, but she can hope for the best. Gerome seems to be fresh from their own time, his armor run ragged and his ever present dark circles were too deep to be rooted in anything from this world. Hopefully, the steady schedule the Shepherds make will help, but Gerome’s always been a night owl. 

 

As they march, Inigo is chattering away at her side, going on about all the tales they’ll have to regale Gerome with - how she first found Owain, swinging at mercenaries like a possessed man, and how Cynthia was actually a brigand for a few weeks, and how amazing the food that the mess workers was. Lucina nods along, but her own thoughts are far off, pondering the ways that she may find her brother, if he even made it to the past - could he be wandering the streets of Ylisstol, dazed and confused, or perhaps hosted in the countryside by an empathetic farmer and his family, or maybe stuck in the fray of the Valmese war, unsure of his time and place in it all. Above, a raucous laugh jerks her away from wishful thinking, and she can barely make out Gerome’s figure, but he’s laughing and bent over - Lucina’s never heard Cherche make a joke, nor Lon’qu, and Gerome was rarely one for laughing in their world. 

 

Maybe some things can change.


	8. Figure in the Dark

Gerome’s presence in camp is comforting, Lucina finds, knowing that she’s found nearly half of what is basically her family, half of her brothers and sisters, and his insomnia provides another guard in the dark to watch over them. Cynthia and Owain joke about having two thirds of their moms back, Inigo resumes his ages old routine of wooing Gerome in the dark of nights, Gerome and Lon’qu quietly converse in Chon’sinese when they think no one can hear, and things are, for the moment, peaceful.

 

Though they are at war still, Lucina and Severa have spent more nights like they did when they were young, giggling and gossiping under the stars, than like the ones of more recent times. Severa knows all the juicy gossip, or so she says, and they whisper back and forth while Kjelle and Cynthia sleep beside them, only interrupted by the infrequent snore or sleep talk that Cynthia seems to generate.

 

“Rumor has it that your mother got word of some kerfuffle at a old temple back home,” Severa begins the night with, taking out a pouch of candies and popping one in her mouth. “Somethin’ boutta Risen infestation.”

 

“Maybe that’s where we’re heading tomorrow. I saw Mother talking to the infantry tonight, and when she left, they started packing. Wonder what could be at a temple that old that Risen find worth stealing.”

 

“Some Grimleal artifact maybe?” Severa poses, offering the pouch to Lucina, who pushes it back.

 

“Maybe. If the temple is for Grima, probably. It’s in Ferox, though, so it should be for Naga…” Lucina mumbles, tying her hair up - Valm’s summer heat is excruciating.

 

“What if… what if one of them is there?”

 

“Who would it be? The only ones who are left are Laurent, Yarne, Nah and Noire. I don’t know about you, but none of them were ever really the temple-treasure type.” Lucina scoffs, before swiping the pouch from Severa’s hand and biting into one of the candies. “Blegh. Orange.”

 

“That’s a fair point, also _rude_ ,” Severa remarks, snatching the bag back, “But what if it’s one of the others?”

 

“What others? We’re the only ones, remember?” Lucina hopes Severa’s not going to say what she thinks she’ll say.

 

“What about Morgan?” Y’know, Lucina’s luck has never been that good, so it’s no wonder that it wasn’t in her favor this time.

 

“I don’t know,” Lucina mumbles, bringing a hand up to wipe her brow. “I want it to be him that we find someday, but the chances of it are just…”

 

“Not in your favor,” Severa finishes.

 

“Yeah. Anyways, what else you got for gossip?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Severa’s hunch turns out to be right - the pack up the next morning and begin the long march north, back to their initial landing point in Chon’sin from months ago, before Owain had even crossed her mind. She considers asking her mother why she’d entertain such a vague and unverified note, but decides not to - Robin had allowed her to do the very same thing many times, yielding either a large sum in reward or another child to join their roster.

 

The journey across the sea, this time, is joyful - the other children are excited, Cynthia and Owain run back and forth from stern to bow, marvelling at the clear waters. Kjelle stays below deck, apparently incredibly vulnerable to seasickness (Lucina discovers, later on, that Sully too stays below deck for the same reason - mother like daughter, huh?)

 

The temple turns out to be a massive complex of ruins, some which may have once been temples to deities whose names are long forgotten. Lucina can barely read the scripture covering some celestine blocks, but time is mentioned over and over, in bits and pieces - _child of time_ , _disowned_ , _blood of two dragons_ , _lost time_ , _child of forbidden unions_ , _joined time_. They spend a solid few hours clambering through the ruins until they reach a final level to the complex, which is more eroded than the previous layers - there are wide gaps between pathways that must’ve been joined at some point, and towering pillars that might’ve once supported higher layers. Towards what could’ve been an altar is a horde of Risen, slowly crawling towards the stairs they entered from.

 

“Our fliers will be essential,” Robin announces, “Sumia and Cordelia, lead the way for our ground forces - Cynthia and Gerome, carry Inigo and Lucina over to the eastern platform, that way we have a stronghold on both sides of the edifice. I’ll run point from here while our riders advance on the pathways we can see. Good luck, everyone.”

 

“Yo, Luci!” Cynthia calls, waving before patting Bellefire’s side. “Hop on, we got treasure to find!”

 

“Let’s get going, then. I think I saw someone over on the far east platform when we were still climbing, I want to make sure it’s not a civilian before we start attacking without thought.” Lucina instructs, climbing onto Bellefire with little grace - she’s never quite been the one for horses, despite taking extensive lessons as a child before things had gotten bad. Ah, royalty.

 

“Righto, captain! I’ll drop you off before heading north.” Cynthia chirps, before nudging her steed’s side and lifting off. From the air, it’s less clear if the figure hidden in the shadows is friend or foe - it’s a slight, short and darkly colored figure in a Risen infested temple shrouded in both light and dark as the sun passes overhead. So, there’s a 50/50 chance that this figure could be someone that needs saving, or 50/50 someone that needs killing.

 

“Drop me off here,” Lucina yells, rough winds quieting her voice, and points towards where the figure is pacing, “I’ll signal if I need any help!”

 

Lucina barely has time to slide off of the pegasus before Cynthia is back in the air again, cheering triumphantly as she surged towards a small band on a north platform. There’ll be time to discuss when it is and isn’t appropriate to yell in battle, but it isn’t now. Cautiously, Lucina makers her way around the corner Cynthia dropped her behind.

 

It’s Morgan.

 

He’s wearing their mother’s cloak, clutching a tome tightly to his chest, and mumbling to himself as he paces a circle, probably trying to figure out what to do - if he heard their ascension, he probably thinks he’s got two bands of enemies to face off with. But he’s here. And alive. He’s alive and breathing and moving, and he’s _here_ , and instinct is about to win over reason because there’s a scream building in her throat and tears building in her eyes.

 

“ **_Morgan!_ ** ” She screams, running towards him - he’s turned around and facing her now, and she can see the blue glint of his hair in the full light and when she glances down, both brands are on his hands, and it’s really him. “ _Morgan!!_ ”

 

“Wh- _oof_ ” He starts to say, but she’s already wrapped her arms around him tight, because she’s not letting him go again.

 

“Morgan, oh my gods, you’re here, you’re _here_ , how are you here?” She rambles, pulling back only slightly to look at him when he answers. Lucina doesn’t expect to be met with a confused face.

 

“How do you know my name? Wait, who _are_ you?” Morgan asks, holding his tome a little tighter, and oh, his voice is deeper than she remembers. It’s strange, but she supposes it would be stranger to hear a ten year old’s voice come out of a body that looks fourteen.

 

“You.. I’m Lucina, remember? Your big sister?” She asks, withdrawing her arms and stepping back. “Morgan, it’s me.”

 

“I don’t know you. I… I don’t think I know anything, actually..” Morgan trails off, considering something. “W-where is this? ‘Cause this definitely doesn’t look like home.”

 

“This is Ferox, we’re in a ruined temple. Just- just stay here, let me signal for a flier to take us to mother,” Lucina explains, before turning towards the direction Cynthia flew off into and whistle-yelling a rhythm they devised years ago.

 

“Wait, Mother? She’s here?” Morgan asks, his voice a little more certain. “I remember Mother, can she help?”

 

“She’s here,” Lucina says, trying to be soft. “I hope she can help - you may have amnesia, and she’s had it before. Father is here, too, Morgan.”

 

“I don’t.. I don’t think I remember any father,” He says, “but I definitely remember Mother.”

 

“Well, it’s a blessing you remember that much. Ah, Cynthia!” Lucina says, yelling at the end as Cynthia flew downwards. “We need a lift back to where we started.”

 

“Oh, okay- Morgan! Oh my gods, _finally_! Owain and I have missed you so so much!” Cynthia exclaims, clapping a little bit. “Hop on, I’ll get you back as fast as I can!”

 

“Who is that?” Morgan whispers to Lucina, climbing up onto Bellefire after her.

 

“A friend,” Lucina tells him, and she hopes he’ll remember something. Morgan doesn’t say anything after that, so she assumes nothing is jogged. Cynthia drops them off as quickly as she had dropped Lucina before, diving right back into the fray. Lucina guides Morgan through their temporary base, which is mostly units not delegated to fighting milling about while they wait for the ordeal to be over - Severa gives her quite the look when they pass, but there’ll be a time for other explanations later. Right now, they need to find their mother.

 

“Ah, Lucina, you’re back early. Did something-” Robin greets them, stopping when she turns to face Morgan. “Is- is this..?”

 

“Mother, this is Morgan. He seems to have amnesia, but he does remember you.” Lucina explains, though it’s hardly a full story. Morgan surges forward to hug Robin, mumbling something about being lost and scared and wanting to go home.

 

“Hey, it’s all right,” Robin soothes, rubbing her newfound son’s back, “We’ll sort this all out. Lucina, will you find your father and explain… things?”

 

“Of course, Mother. I’ll be back soon.” She says, before venturing back into the cluster of soldiers. Chrom, expectedly, is in the center, conversing with his sister and nephew.

 

“Father,” Lucina calls, pushing past Kellam to reach him, “There’s something I need to tell you.”

 

“Sure, what is it?” He asks, before addressing Lissa and Owain, “I’ll catch up with you guys later, alright?”

 

“It’s… an unusual circumstance.” Lucina starts, fidgeting with her fingers. “When Cynthia dropped me off on the eastern platform, I encountered someone.”

 

“Are they alright?” Chrom asks, but he doesn’t look too concerned yet.

 

“He is. It’s, well…” Lucina sighs, takes a deep breath, and spits it out “It’s Morgan.”

 

“Morgan?” He mumbles, brows furrowing in confusion. Lucina quickly realizes that Robin might not’ve mentioned his name to her husband, and knows she’s never spoken to her Father about any siblings.

 

“My brother.”

 

“Oh.”


	9. A Hidden History

Morgan brings a brand new puzzle to camp - Robin’s own history is still a great, unsolvable mystery, and Morgan brings his own new twist to it. Nonetheless, it’s a pleasant change he brings - his is, for lack of better words, unrelentingly happy, and does wonders for morale. His very first night with them, Morgan had settled quickly into raucous conversation with Cynthia and Owain, and was eager to help any and everyone. 

 

“So, I guess I was right, huh?” Severa gloats as they eat, listening in on Morgan’s conversation with Cynthia and Owain.

“Oh, shut up, how was I supposed to know?” Lucina mumbles, groaning when Severa snickers. Across the mess hall, Robin and Chrom are dining too, but they’re barely eating - if Lucina had to guess, she’d assume they were discussing how this, how Morgan, changes things. She hopes it will be a good change.

 

The leave the temple as soon as possible, and Lucina catches one last glimpse of the script on the wall, a larger swath than the others. It reads,  _ a child of two dragons …. leaps through time… harbinger… warrior of time. _ Strange, but she thinks nothing of it - merely the writings of an old people who worshiped a long dead god, right?

 

They trek back down the Feroxi and Plegian coast, once they’re finally out of the temple’s sight. Robin must be hoping to appeal to the Plegian king again, if they’re making their way back through the desert. Before they are forced to face the sand wastes that most Plegians call home, they pass through a dense and dry forest - no one is particularly pleased about it, but Panne seems at home.

 

Lucina, admittedly, had never  _ actually _ interacted with the taguel. They had their own social circles within the Shepherds, and they stuck to them. She’d seen Panne during meals, of course, and oftentimes in battle too, but she’d yet to have an actual conversation with her, though she didn’t need to to know that her son was nothing like her. Yarne was, to be frank, a scaredy cat and Panne simply wasn’t - she was brave and fierce, always willing to fight if it was right, and Yarne… 

 

Yarne would never be someone who belonged in the fray.

 

But, predictably, that’s how they found him. 

 

They stumble upon two warring militias who are 11:59:59 on the Doomsday clock, and are ready to duke it out next to an innocent village no matter the ramifications. Robin makes the executive decision to fight not one, but both of the armies - dooming them to fight a battle on two fronts with two very different mindsets. 

 

“I smell another taguel,” Panne tells Robin, and Lucina’s lucky enough to be in an earshot. “I’d like to look for the owner of the scent.”

 

“If I may,” Lucina interjects before her mother can get a word in, “It may be one of my companions’ scents. Your son, Yarne, did travel back with us.”

 

“Interesting,” Panne remarks, “I hadn’t thought a child of mine would come back, much less have survived.”

 

“If you’re going to investigate, I’d like to come with - Yarne, he’s, well, a little skittish.” Lucina explains, pausing before continuing at Panne’s nod, “He may be more.. Amenable to talking if I’m present.”

 

“A solid argument,” Panne says, and straightens her posture, “I’ll allow you to accompany me. Shall we go?”

 

“Off you are, then!” Robin chirps, before reminding Lucina, “Make sure to keep an eye out, with two brigand groups, you might stumble upon more enemies than you think.”

 

“Duly noted, Mother. Panne, lead the way!”

 

* * *

 

 

“If I may inquire, man-spawn, what is my son of the future like?” Panne asks as they walked through a wooded grove, before coming upon a stone wall.

 

“He’s very kind,” Lucina starts with, hoping to highlight Yarne’s more.. taguel-worthy traits. “He often defended the younger children of the villages that Risen raided.”

 

“You said he was… skittish? I am unfamiliar with the word.” Panne asks, turning her face away in, what, shame? She moved westward along the wall, until they broached a corner

 

“He’s easy to scare. You died when he was young, so he grew up with the burden of being the last Taguel.” Lucina explains, following Panne’s footsteps. “He became fearful and avoided conflict as a means of survival. He fought, still, when others needed him - he always fought with us, always did good.”

 

“Hmm,” Panne hums, before falling into silence. The older woman threw up a hand, “Stop. Voices. Listen.”

 

Lucina strained to hear, but she could pick up faint voices in the distance. Someone hollering about picking up the pace, or maybe something about someone being a wimp. She tried to guess at what else might’ve been said, but her ears just couldn’t pick up on it. Panne’s ears, though, were twitching and flicking like Yarne’s would in battle, when he’d try to listen for where the Risen would land. 

 

“What do you hear?” She whispered, planning to ask more, but Panne threw up her hand in the same way she had before.

 

“Wait” Panne hissed, not taking her eyes off of whatever she saw. “See him. Ears. Coming closer.”

 

Lucina nods, and closes her mouth. The bushes in the distance, in front of them but certainly yards away, being to rustle, something clearly moving behind them. Panne’s nose is furrowed, so she must smell something - perhaps Yarne’s been forced into an ambush?

 

“Who goes there?!” Panne yells, stepping forward and assuming what Lucina guesses is an offensive stance for the Taguel. “Show yourself!”

 

From the dark of the bushes, a slight figure slinks forward - Yarne is already transformed, but he looks emaciated, more than he did in their old world. There’s a gaping wound on his thigh and a new scar on his brow, and his eyes are full of fear. 

 

“Oh, Yarne, darling.” Lucina sighs, stepping forward to brush a stray tuft of hair back from his eyes. The beast leans into the touch, a whimpering sound wrench out. “What’ve they done to you?”

 

“He looks ill,” Panne whispers, stepping forward and crouching before her son. “Are you alright, my son?”

 

Yarne lets out a high-pitched whine, curling into the gentle hand that Panne extends. A light purple glow erupts from his chest, and fades to reveal Yarne’s human form, stick thin and bleeding. 

 

“It may be his femoral,” Lucina says, moving forwards to put her hands over the large gash on his left thigh. “We should get him back to camp, fast.”

 

“Agreed,” Panne mumbles, “I’ll transform, do your best to pick him up and get on. I’ll only allow this because my son’s life is at stake. Understand?”

 

“Of course.” Lucina says, ripping her cloak off and wrapping it around Yarne’s leg while Panne transformed. When she stood and hauled the large man into her arms, he was almost as light as Cynthia had been when they were young, easy to pick up and swing around for laughs. She climbs onto Panne’s back with minimal stumbles, holding Yarne’s barely-conscious body in front of her to ensure he didn’t slip. Panne, once she was sure that they were secure, bounded off as fast as possible, almost faster than Bellefire had taken her and Morgan earlier that week. 

 

“Aunt Lissa!” Lucina called out as they drew closer to camp, “We have mortal injury! Femoral wound, potential emaciation.” Panne carried them into the center of camp, giving Lucina ample time to slide off with Yarne before transforming back and helping Yarne down into a lying position. 

 

“Get them to back up,” Lissa demanded, shooing observers away. “I need room to work. Panne, I need you to let go of him so I can help.”

 

“Alright,” Panne whispers, but barely moves away. Lucina gently pushes the elder woman back further to allow her aunt to work, when Panne whispers “Don’t make me go.”

 

“I won’t,” Lucina affirms, “but Lissa needs space to work.”

 

Panne didn’t reply, so Lucina turned back to her aunt and almost-brother to help. Lissa works quietly, only speaking to bark out orders to get more gauze or another stave. Lucina’s charged with wiping Yarne’s forehead and slowly giving him elixirs and tinctures to bring him back to consciousness. Panne stands behind Lucina, watching nervously. It feels like hours before Frederick comes to her side, battle-weary and surprised to come back to not only a wife, but a son.

 

“He’ll live,” Lissa announces after wrapping a final layer of bandaging around Yarne’s thigh. “He’s lucky you found him when you did, though. Lucina, help me move him?”

 

“Who is he?” Frederick asks Panne when Lucina’s out of earshot.

 

“Yarne.” Panne tells him, leaning into his side. “Our son.”

  
  


* * *

 

 

Yarne doesn’t wake for two days, so they stay encamped in the forest for the duration. The villagers which they saved from what must’ve been sure destruction are kind enough to open their doors to many of their soldiers, though Lissa and Panne stay with the other future kids in a vacant farmhouse where they’ve decided to place Yarne. It’s quite a sight, all nine of them crowded around their sleeping friend’s body. It’s nearly dawn when Yarne finally rouses from sleep, startling as he wakes.

 

“Where am I?” He whispers to no one in particular, voice hoarse.

 

“Some village in Plegia. You nearly died.” Gerome says for Lucina, who’s finally fallen asleep on his right arm, as Inigo’s grabbed onto his left. “Lucina and your mother found you wandering in your beast form.”

“Oh.” Yarne mumbles, trying to clear his throat. He turns his head to the right, where he’s greeted with Owain’s boot. “Is she here?”

 

“On your left. Been up all hours worrying.” Yarne can barely turn his head to look the other way, a muscle in his neck tingling uncomfortably. Panne is lying asleep next to him, only a few feet away, generating a massive amount of warmth in her beast form. One of her paws is curled near his head, and now that he’s awake enough to process, he can hear her breathing heavily. It feels eerily familiar, like a far off memory from his childhood.

 

When Lucina wakes hours later, Yarne has drifted back off to sleep and Gerome informs her of his brief waking moments. Panne wakes when Yarne, in his sleep, kicks out a leg and manages to jab it in his mother’s stomach. 

 

“He was awake for a few moments early this morning, according to Gerome,” Lucina tells her when she transforms and sits up, human again. “I can get Frederick, if you want.”

 

“I will,” Panne says, voice still rough with sleep. “I imagine he has not slept well.”

 

“Maybe so,” Lucina replies, smiling. “We’ll keep a close eye on him.”

 

Panne stands to leave, but drops her beaststone by her son before walking away. She returns with her husband and a basket of fruit to feed the children as they slowly wake. Yarne is still asleep at noon, but he mumbles quietly into his pillow, and Panne smiles as she tucks a strand of hair away from his face. Panne and Frederick are talking quietly, perhaps planning for what they’ll say when their son wakes, and Morgan is blithely chatting away at Lucina’s side.

 

Were it not for the bright sun and pleasant breeze, Lucina might’ve thought they were home again.


	10. Sun in My Eyes

Yarne’s recovery is slow. Walking has become a struggle, leading the Shepherds to finally return home for the first time since the war with Valm truly began. The journey across the Plegian desert is long and leaves Lucina weary, but by the time they happen upon Ylisstol, Yarne is on his own two feet and walks by his mother and father’s side into the castle.

 

Robin and Chrom are ecstatic to be back home, eager to reunite with their infant daughter - it’s a cold shock for the grown Lucina, a reminder that her place is not with this Chrom and this Robin. Morgan does his best to distract her, begging her to show him the castle grounds. She winds up taking them all around, despite most of them remembering the layout. She and Morgan spend the night in the library, leaving the guest rooms to the other children - Morgan was insistent, wanting to catch up and relearn whatever knowledge he lost during his trip back to the past. 

 

“You could’ve asked Mother or Father to help you, you know,” Lucina had told him that night, sitting on the ground next to him with ten books splayed out in front of him. “They’d’ve been more than happy too.”

 

“I know!” Morgan had said, turning and smiling at his sister, “but I wanted to spend time with you! I’ve gotten to know Father more, but I don’t know you as well. Plus, aren’t big sisters supposed to help their baby brothers?”

 

“Dork,” She said, before handing him another book, “I used this one when I first got here. It’s a catalogue of more recent events, going back to the first war between Ylisse and Plegia.”

 

Life in Ylisstol is good, comfortable. Lucina has the chance to shop the markets with Severa and Inigo, and tags along when Cynthia and her mother visit the Royal Botanical Gardens, and goes flying with Gerome one night, to take in the lights of the city from above. It’s slow, and quiet, and yet Lucina is restless. Life without battle was never a possibility, not even a dream, yet here she was, living in a peaceful moment. They’d had peace for moments, before, in between battle and when they gained the good graces of villagers, but it had never been like this before - weeks of nothing but peaceful routine. 

 

It is strange, and perhaps disquieting, that Lucina is pleased when the Shepherds are summoned east to the deserted salt flats. There’s a growing conflict in a village, where brigands have taken upon themselves to harass the village into giving up the secrets of a so-called mirage village. Word came from a traveling ambassador, returning to Ylisstol from wartime reparation work nearby the flats. 

 

The journey out is almost as amiable as their stay in the capital was - Robin and Chrom are in high spirits after spending time with their infant daughter, Yarne is finally well enough to transform without pain, and Lucina’s own bonds with her brother have grown stronger. The children, though they hardly feel like children at this point, spend the entire march east conversing with one another about who they hope to find next, and it isn’t long before they start betting. Owain, Gerome, and Yarne bet that they’ll find Laurent next, whereas Morgan, Kjelle, Brady, and Inigo put their money on Nah, and Cynthia and Severa bet on Noire. Lucina abdicates from it all, but suspects that they’ll find Laurent next.

 

She’s only ever guessed based on hunches, but something about Vaike’s cadence of late has her thinking of Laurent. Vaike had asked, during their weeks of peace, what his son was like (it doesn’t take a genius to guess that he’d never considered a daughter). He seemed pleased enough that his son, whose name she elected to not reveal, took after his mother.

 

“I know damn well I’m not the brightest,” Vaike had told her, “so I’m glad my boy is.”

 

Miriel, though, has not once asked of her child. Lucina suspects that she’s something of a ‘I’ll cross that bridge when I get there’ type, so she doesn’t press the mage for questions. When they arrive to the flats, they’re greeted with a desperate elder begging for their help. He instructs them to contact a scholar whose researched the village, in his southwestern cabin. 

 

“Mother, I’d like to seek out the scholar the elder mentioned.” Lucina mentions as they draw closer. “I don’t know why, but I have a feeling this scholar may be a friend of mine.”

 

“Alright, but be safe - have one of our fliers take you, I fear the sand will slow almost all of us down.” Robin advises, “Pair up with Cynthia, I’m going to have Gerome go further north.”

 

“Alright, we’ll report back if we find anything useful.” Lucina replied, waving to her mother before turning to walk towards Cynthia. “Cynth! We’re going to look for that scholar, wanna give me a ride?”

 

“Sure thing, boss!” Cynthia replied, cheery as always. “What do you think this guy looks like, huh? Figure he’s some old guy smoking something?”

 

“Don’t know, but let’s hope he’ll help us.” Lucina said, hopping onto Bellefire. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

The heat of the flats was excruciating, the sun beating down mercilessly as they flew across the dunes. From up so high, Lucina could barely make out the other fliers in the area - Gerome and his mother were sent due north to investigate the seemingly empty cluster of villages. 

 

“Look, down there!” Cynthia shouted, pointing down at a ramshackled building that seemed to be barely standing. “Think thats it?”

 

“Seems so!” Lucina yelled back, clutching Bellefire tighter, “Bring us down!”

 

The building was half buried in sand, and built from what looked like rotting wood. Strips of fabric hung from the windows, bright greens and reds swaying in the breeze. Cynthia stood back by her steed when Lucina stepped forward, slipping a bit in the sand surrounding the door. 

 

“Hello?” Lucina called, rapping on the door, “Is anyone there?”

 

“ _ Go away! _ ” A voice yelled, deep but hoarse - had the man inside ingested sand? She couldn’t think of any other reason a voice would be so worn out. “I don’t have time for this!”

 

“Are you the scholar?” Lucina calls again, knocking on the door harder, “We need your help!” Something inside the building crashes, like glass shattering.

 

“I have no time for such delusions, leave me!” The man yelled again, another glass breaking. Behind the door, she could her a rapid mumbling, a quiet voice rambling on and on about  _ why have these old faces come to haunt me they’re long gone gone gone gone _ . Lucina knocked harder at the door, hoping to bring the man closer. “ _ Leave me _ !”

 

“Maybe you should just go in!” Cynthia suggests, mouthing  _ what? _ when Lucina gives her a face. After another round of knocking yields no answer, Lucina gives in and pushes the door inwards, letting light into the dark shack.

 

“I apologize for intruding, but we come seeking your help. Do you know anything of the mirage village?” Lucina asks, approaching the figure kneeling on the ground slowly. A broken bottle and puddle of water lie forgotten on the ground nearby, sand from the door pooling inwards to absorb the water. “Sir?”

 

“I thought I was past this,” The man mumbled, looking down. “I  _ was _ past this, why have you come back now of all times? I’m so close to finding a way out, why now?”

 

“I’ve never been here before,” Lucina says, stepping closer. The man swings an arm out, halting her movement. “Are you okay?”

 

“You know I’m not.” He says, bringing his arm back. “ _ I _ know I’m not. You… you’ve haunted me all these years, no matter how hard I’ve tried to make you leave.”

 

“I don’t know what you mean,” Lucina tells him, stepping forward to crouch at his side. She’s got a better view of him from here, but he’s covered almost head to toe in cloth, and his massive hat droops around his face. “Can you explain?”

 

“You know what I mean, you always know,” He says, wiping at his eyes, “You always know. You all always know. You make the sun unbearable and the nights too long and the days too short, you twist my vision, make me see what isn’t there…. You’ve always known.”

 

“Hey,” Lucina says, reaching over to put a hand on his shoulder. He flinches, almost violently, like he hadn’t known touch in years. “I’m here. I’m real. But I don’t know what’s going on.”

 

“Real…?” He whispers, looking up at her. Lucina turns back to Cynthia, now standing in the doorway, before turning back to the man and gently pulling his linen ‘mask’ down. The man’s face is worn, but young - not wrinkled with sand and time like Cynthia had guessed. Metal wire glasses are perched on his nose, but one of the lenses is broken, cracked down the middle. Blonde scraps of hair are peeking out from under his hat, likely grown unruly at a lack of care. “You can’t be. You never are.”

 

“Who never is?” She asks, hoping to get the answer she wants - the man is too much like Laurent to not be him, but with someone driven this mad, she must be sure. He scoffs at her, turning away and wiping at his eyes again.

 

“You should know your own name, Lucina.” He says. Lucina hears Cynthia gasp, but she elects to ignore it. “So should you, Cynthia.”

 

“ _ Oh _ , Laurent… How long have you been here?” She asks, shuffling to sit in front of him. Tears are freely rolling down his face, and Lucina cups his face to wipe them away, but the touch only brings more tears. “Don’t cry, I’m here.”

 

“Five  _ fucking _ years, Lucina” Laurent chokes out, reaching out to grab at Lucina’s sleeves, “I looked for so long, b-but,” 

 

“That doesn’t matter, I’m here now, I’m here,” Lucina soothes, wiping away the tears as fast as they come. “I’m here.”

 

“I w-went to Ylisstol but,” Laurent sobs, tightening his grip on her arms, “you weren’t there, and I got lost, and-”

 

“It’s okay, Laurent, I’m here. Almost all of us are here. Your parents are here. We’re real.” Lucina says, drawing Laurent into a hug. He sobs into her shoulder, shuddering in her arms. “I’m real.”

 

“I’ll be back soon, I’m going to get my mother, we need to get him out of here,” Cynthia says before rushing out, but Lucina can’t even bother to think about it. She keeps her grip on Laurent tight, doing her best to emulate what she saw her Mother do with Morgan. Laurent’s sobs slowed after a few intense minutes, but his grip on her didn’t lessen.

 

“I’m frightened,” He murmurs into her shoulder, punctuating it with a sniffle.

 

“Why?” Lucina asks, keeping her voice low. 

 

“What if I let go, and you vanish?” Laurent asks, holding her a bit tighter. She smiles into his shoulder, leaning slightly to press her head to his. “It’s felt this real before.”

 

“I won’t be gone. I promise.” They sit in silence for a few more minutes, before Cynthia is bursting back through the door with her mother in tow. Laurent is hesitant to let go of Lucina, but she’s able to convince him to hold onto Cynthia instead, so they may fly back to camp. Lucina and Sumia fly alongside them, hoping to keep Laurent from startling himself into falling off of Bellefire. 

 

Once they land, Laurent nearly falls off of Bellefire and quickly takes Lucina’s hand, still fearful she’ll disappear. She takes him to where Lissa is setting up triage, the battle clearly ending.

 

“Lissa, do you know much about sun-madness? I’m afraid a friend of mine, Laurent, may be suffering from it.” Lucina explains, lifting the hand Laurent had a grip on, “He was in the desert for five years straight.”

 

“Hmm, I don’t think there’s much I can do at the moment, but water and good sleep should do him well.” Lissa tells her, before shooing them away. “Get him settled on a bed, and I’ll send Brady to get some water.”

 

“Brady’s here?” Laurent asks, following Lucina as she led him into the triage tent. “Who else?”

 

“Let’s see,” Lucina starts, sitting down and motioning for Laurent to follow, “There’s me, obviously, Cynthia, Brady.. Inigo and Owain too, Kjelle, Severa, Gerome, and Yarne. Now that you’re here, we only have to find Noire and Nah.”

 

“I see.” Laurent mumbled, leaning back to lie down. “Will you stay while I sleep?”

 

“Of course, Laurent.” Lucina replied, holding out a pinky finger, which Laurent takes, “I promise I’ll be here when you wake.”


	11. Lamb and Shepherd

Shortly after the battle for the Mirage Village ends, Chrom receives word of slavers trading in Ylisse further north, so they depart almost immediately after all serious injuries are treated. When it comes time to leave, Laurent is still asleep, so Lucina helps load him onto a caravan, and rides with him. He wakes in brief fits, panicked and fearful, but eases back into sleep when Lucina assures him that she’s still there and that they’re no longer in the desert. Lissa checks in on them from time to time, bringing fresh water and clothes to keep his temperature down. It’s strange having to care for such a beloved friend this way, Lucina having always stayed away from triage in the past - seeing the broken bodies, or her own friends so sick they’re close to death.

 

It’s stranger still to not know who she’s soon to face in battle - Lucina was made aware it was slavers they were targeting, but she knows nothing else. Normally, she’d be right alongside her Mother as she planned, always involved and helping. Maybe this is what the rest of the Shepherds feel as they march into battle, uncertain and in the dark. 

 

It takes them four days to reach the frostbitten area of Ylisse where the slavers are rumored to be, a gentle flurry of snow greeting them. Laurent rouses for some of it, staring quietly out of the caravan at the flakes.

 

“I never thought I’d see snow again,” He remarks, shifting on his cot. He’s holding his hat on his lap, and they’ve since removed his dusty robes and replaced them with cleaner garments. “It’s nice.”

 

“It is, isn’t it?” Lucina had replied, turning and smiling at him. Laurent gave her a small smile back before turning to face the snow again, so she considered it a win. Lissa had remanded Laurent to bed rest for the time being, so Lucina had to trade spots with Gerome to fight against the slavers. It appeared that the slavers had their eyes on a maiden who had taken refuge in the ruins of yet another ancient temple, cornered into death or slavery. 

 

“Lucina, will you look for the woman they’re targeting?” Robin asked once she emerged from the caravan, “After seeing you with Laurent, you might be our best bet of getting this girl to safety.”

 

“Sure thing, Mother. Do you have any idea where she may be?” Lucina replied, watching her mother shuffle through maps.

 

“I’m guessing in the far north building, most of their fliers are circling it like vultures.” Robin decides on, pointing to the northernmost building on the map, “Poor girl, I hope we can get her out all right.”

 

“I’ll do my best,” Lucina tells her, adjusting Falchion before making her way towards the bridge. 

 

Lucina chooses to be merciless with these enemies - slavers deserved no mercy, so she would show none. It takes longer than she would’ve liked to reach the building, but it appears that the slavers have yet to breach the barricaded door. A small window was on the left wall, a perfect entrance for someone looking to avoid detection. Standing on her toes, Lucina peeked into the window to see if the woman was inside.

 

Inside was certainly a woman, but not the one Lucina’s expecting. A young maiden in an archer’s uniform is huddled by a window on the opposite side of the room, holding a withering bow and nearly broken arrows, a look of sheer fury on her face. She’s far from what Lucina expected, but when she knocks on the window to get her attention, she’s met with Noire’s face. 

 

“ _ Noire! _ ” She mouths, waving through the window. Noire looks confused, but comes to the window anyways, and helps Lucina pull herself inside. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I could say the same to you!” Noire exclaims, yanking Lucina into a hug, “Gods, I’ve been stuck up here for weeks, trying to ditch these guys. I’ve tried using my talisman to get ahead of them, but no dice.”

 

“Don’t worry,” Lucina smiles “The Shepherds are here, we’ll make sure these fools get what’s coming to them.”

 

“Good,” Noire says, a wicked grin on her face, “I’d like to have a stronger bow, but...ready to wreak havoc?”

 

“Always. Let’s go,” Lucina replies, pulling Falchion back out of its sheath. “We got ass to kick.”

 

Like with most battles, especially ones with Noire at her side, time got lost - the blur of bodies and blood, sword on sword, it almost blinds her to the eventual end. They fall back into their old routine, covering each other’s backs through what feels like an endless deluge of foes. Noire’s got a grip of her talisman, the slip of paper squished between her hand and bow, and that righteous fury is back in her eyes. Lucina knows full well that the talisman isn’t something Noire should be relying on, but… it’s all that’s worked in the past, so it’s all that will work now. By the time they make their way back to where Lucina remembers their temporary base is, she’s breathing heavy and there’s blood on her face, but it’s not her own, it never is. 

 

“Lucina, you made it,” Robin greets her, waving to Lissa to bring a stave over, “I take it this is the woman the slavers were after?”

 

“Noire,” Lucina huffs out, eagerly taking a swig from the canteen her mother hands her, “A friend of mine.”

 

“Ah, another future child, huh?” Robin asks, standing back while Lissa fusses over them. “Who’s child?”

 

“Libra,” Noire says, “And Tharja. I’d like to speak with her.”

 

“Of course, though she’s still on the field. Lissa, will you take them to triage for rest? Laurent’s been getting twitchy without Lucina.” Robin instructs, before walking back to her temporary table of maps and stratagems. When she turns, Lucina can see a gentle slope in her Mother’s stomach, the little Morgan finally showing. It would be sweet, but Lucina cannot help but think that this Morgan should be two years younger. But no matter - she’s got to be present enough to facilitate what will likely be a tumultuous reunion between Noire and her mother.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Libra is the lucky one to receive them at triage, but he thinks nothing of Noire’s familiar coloring until she tells him such.

 

“You look younger than I imagined,” Noire tells him, diligently holding out her arm, little gashes littering it. “Happier than I imagined?”

 

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Libra replies, not even looking up from the bandages he’s applying. Noire gives Lucina an annoyed look, to which she shrugs - that’s just how it is sometimes. 

 

“I’m Noire,” She says, moving her arm so that Libra will look up at her, “I’m your daughter. From the future, anyways.”

 

“Oh,” Libra gasps, dropping the roll of gauze, “I’m so-”

 

“Don’t worry about it, Dad.” Noire cuts him off, smiling at him, “Time for in-depth talks later, right? Mother should be here,” Libra smiles up at his daughter, and ignores the little gathering of tears in his eyes. 

 

“Let me catch you up on things,” Lucina says, bringing the focus away from Libra. “You’ve been here how long, now?”

 

“A month, I think.” Noire replies, reaching up to swipe hair away from her eyes. “I’m in need of a hot meal for sure, haha…”

 

“That we can certainly take care of,” Lucina laughs a little, relaxing in her seat. “You’re one of the last ones to be found, though. Only Nah is left, everyone else is here.”

 

“Really?” Noire hums, “Did you find Morgan? I know you were hopeful that Naga would somehow find him, too…”

 

“We did, actually,” Lucina is pleased to say, “Though he’s got pretty severe amnesia. He didn’t even recognize me when I found him.”

 

“Yikes, that’s gotta be rough.”

 

“Hah, you’re telling me.” They continue on in their conversation until the remaining Shepherds finally pour back into camp, Lucina successfully telling Noire of their missions in Valm and where they stand with Grima. Tharja is almost immediately at triage, a significant cut across her back. 

“I always tell you to be careful,” Libra scolds her, pressing a salve against the cut. “You know that knights go after mages first.”

 

“Yes, love,” Tharja mumbles, wincing at the pressure. “But you’re almost always at my back, anyways.”

 

“Think of when I’m not,” Libra says, pausing to reach for more bandages, “You always come home hurt.”

 

“And you always heal me,” Tharja whispers, leaning back to kiss him. 

 

“You’re a terrible role model for our daughter,” Libra says, likely without thinking, “Oh.”

 

“Daughter?” Tharja asks, brow furrowed in confusion. Noire squirmed in her seat, looking back and forth between her mother and Lucina.

 

“Uhm, me..” Noire murmurs, raising a shaking hand. “Hi.”

 

“Oh, you. The girl the slavers were after.” Tharja says, leaning forward - either to get a better look at Noire or to let Libra continue his work. “What’s your name?”

 

“Noire,” She says, fidgeting with her talisman, but not activating it. 

 

“Cute,” Tharja replies, staring at Noire. “I don’t know why you’re afraid of me.”

 

“How.. how did you know I was afraid?” Tharja scoffs at this, giving her daughter a sly smile.

 

“Fear’s my specialty.” 

 

“Right,” Noire says, disheartened.

 

“Did I hurt you, in the future?” Tharja asks, confused by Noire’s sigh. “If I did, it’s shameful. My curses should never befall a child, much less my own.”

 

“It’s… good to hear you say that.” Noire replies, sighing again, “But it doesn’t change what you did.”

 

“Of course not,” Tharja says, reaching out to but her hand on Noire’s knee. “And I can’t answer for that me. Nor can my husband, but we can be better now.”

 

Noire smiles, and ignores the tears that start flowing. Lucina is grateful for a quiet, gentle reunion - the last thing she needs is internal conflict. 


	12. A Wish the Heart Makes

By the time they leave the slaver’s den, Laurent is well enough to walk around camp, but still clings to Lucina like she’s a phantom on the verge of vanishing. While a time will come where they’ll need to address this separation anxiety, she’s more than willing to indulge him for now - Naga knows that if she were stuck in the desert that long, she’d cling to her savior too. Morgan, too, has someone new to cling to - Noire, who is less than pleased to be introduced to so many insects by him. Noire’s transition into living among others again goes fairly smoothly - she’s still nervous around much of the older Shepherds, but Severa seems to be helping. Lucina’s heard them get up at night, Severa probably helping Noire find whatever she needs.

 

“I’d like to have Mother and Father accompany me this time,” Laurent tells her when she enters the caravan - Lissa wants to stay on the safe side, so Laurent’s confined to riding in one of the medical carriages for the next few days. “I haven’t had time to speak with her yet, but I’d like to start. And it would be nice to see Father again…”

 

“Of course, I’ll go get them.” The pair had been surprised to know their son wanted to see them. Lucina pondered the reasons, perhaps they thought he didn’t want to see them at all, like Gerome was at first? Nonetheless, the two spent their days long march in the caravan, entertaining their son and getting to know him.

 

It’s nearly time to camp out for the night when they come across a decrepit old mansion, which reeks with the smell of dead things. Her father finds himself in charge of this mission, the smell bringing about a fit of morning sickness for Robin. 

 

“Do you think Laurent is up for a battle yet?” He asks her as the two approach the front steps, looking to do a small bit of recon before sending their full forces in. “I won’t force him into battle if he’s not ready, but it’s been nearly two weeks.”

 

“Physically, he’s fit for battle, but I’m afraid his extended isolation may have… more unknown consequences than we can see.” Lucina tells him, peeking into the mansion foyer. “Oh,  _ shit _ , there’s a massive horde in there.”

 

“Let’s get everyone ready, we’ll need our strongest,” Chrom replies, opening his mouth to say more, but he’s cut off by a scream. “Did you hear that?”

 

“Sounds like a young girl,” Lucina says, “We should get going, and fast.”

 

It ends up being mostly Lucina’s own Shepherds who enter the mansion - Laurent and Noire abdicate, deciding that neither are quite ready for another battle just yet. Chrom elects to stay behind as well, likely to comfort his wife through her bouts of illness, and he chooses to send Nowi and Gregor in his place. They’re a strange couple, Lucina finds, but her father assures her that they fight well - Nowi’s beast form is quite formidable, and Gregor is adept at covering his wife’s weak spots. 

 

“I’ll go ahead to look for the girl,” Lucina decides, “Morgan, you’ll run point until I’m back, alright? Keep everyone safe.”

 

“Sure thing, sis!” Morgan replies, cheery as ever. “Let’s move as one, aside from Lucina of course, and we should be careful to watch each other’s backs,”

 

Sure that her companions were in good hands, Lucina moved ahead, wandering the Risen filled halls and taking down as many as possible to ease the way for the rest of the group. The halls were dimly lit, the torches on the wall barely smoldering - it certainly created a distinct mood, but it wasn’t ideal for fighting. The walls were crumbling, dark marble stone eroded by the sands of time, and the carpet eaten away either by mold or critters that scurried around in dark. Eventually, she came upon a massive wooden door, holding either the poor girl who’d been trapped or another cluster of Risen behind it. 

 

Risen it was - two revenants, clawing at a secondary door on the room’s left wall. They only turned towards her when she stepped in and shut the door behind her, the heavy wood creaking as it went. They were easy enough to defeat, leaving behind nothing more than a dropped bullion and puddles of black sludge at their death. There was little in the room otherwise - a rotting wood desk and decrepit carpet, broken candles strewn about. The secondary door was tightly wedged shut, the Risen’s claw marks hardly made a dent on it. It takes a few moments of shoving her entire weight on the door for it to creak open.

 

“Get back!” A small voice shouted, “I’m warning you, I’m stronger than I look!”

 

“Peace, I mean no harm” Lucina called out into the dark room, stepping forward hesitantly, unaware as to what may be on the floor. “We’re here to save you.”

 

“Wait, wh-” The voice mumbled something, before Lucina heard steps coming forwards. Out of the shadows came Nah, her usually pristine clothing marred with dirt, a deep gash across her cheek bloodying her face. She looked to be half transformed, scales beginning to pierce through the skin on her arms and forehead. “Lucina?”

 

“Nah! It’s me,” She said, rushing forward to inspect the wound. “What happened to you?”

 

“Landed in a snowstorm,” Nah starts, pausing to sneeze, “Made my way here for shelter. Was empty when I found it, but..”

 

“Risen infested it, huh?” Lucina guess, ripping off a piece of her cloak to wipe away the blood on Nah’s face. At this rate, she’ll need a new cloak soon. 

 

“Figures, right?” Nah chokes out, leaning into Lucina’s touch. “I’ve been awake for the past day trying to fight them off. I’m exhausted.”

 

‘Don’t worry, we’ll take care of the Risen. Your mother and father are fighting them right now.” Lucina assures her, and adjusts Nah’s frail body so that she can carry her, “I’ll get you back to camp so Lissa can heal you, you’re in no condition to fight.”

 

“No, I can fight, just let me-” Nah insisted, struggling to stand before wavering “Useless.”

 

“Don’t talk yourself down just because you’re hurt,” Lucina chastises, helping Nah stand again, “I’m fairly certain we’ve been over this before.”

 

“Whatever you say, mom.” Nah mumbles, leaning into Lucina’s shoulder. “Let’s just get out of here.”

 

It’s a slow walk back to the entrance. Lucina waved as she passed their full party, motioning to Morgan to come closer.

 

“Nah, the girl, she’s injured, so I’m taking her back to camp. Continue with the plan, rely on Owain for any help, okay?” She explained, hoping he’d get the gist of it.

 

“Gotcha! Alrighty, let’s keep moving!” Morgan cheered, returning to the main group.

 

“Morgan..?” Nah murmured, looking up blearily.

 

“Yes, somehow he’s here. He’s got amnesia, though.”

 

“Bummer.”

  
  


* * *

 

 

“Lucina, you’re back early, what- aaaand you’ve got another hurt kid.” Lissa greeted her, amiable before turning her full attention to her new patient. “What’s her name?”

 

“Nah,” Lucina told her, shrugging at Lissa’s weird look. “She’s Nowi’s daughter, don’t blame her for her weird name.”

 

“Is it just the gash on her face, or are there other injuries?” Lissa asked, already getting to work. “She looks incredibly thin.”

 

“I didn’t see any other injuries, but she mentioned that she’s been her for a week - even with a Manakete’s metabolism, she’s probably starving.” Lucina offered, helping Lissa move Nah to one of the triage cots. 

 

“Alright. Can you get me a few tinctures, gauze, bandages, and a mend staff?” Lissa instructed, pointing to a kit a few feet away. “Thanks.”

 

“Here,” Lucina said, handing the items over, “She’ll be alright, right?”

 

“I think so,” Lissa mumbled, dripping the tincture over the cut, “Did she show any concussion symptoms?”

 

“She was a little confused and weak on her feet, but it may be the starvation.” Lucina explains, reaching over to brush Nah’s bangs out of Lissa’s way. “We’ll have to see when she wakes.”

 

“Starvation would do that, but you’re right here.” Lissa said, handing the empty tincture bottles back over. “I’d like to wake her up as soon as I’m finished with the cut, but she’ll need something to eat ASAP. Can you run to mess and get something? Nothing too heavy, though.”

 

“Of course, I’ll be right back.” Lucina replied, standing and walking out of triage. Mess wasn’t too far away, only a few tents down. When she arrived, Chrom and Robin were the only two non-mess workers there, Chrom talking quietly while Robin ate what looked to be some kind of soup.

 

“Ah, Mother, Father,” Lucina said, giving them a small wave. “Are you feeling better, Mother?”

 

“The smell’s still getting to me, but a little food is helping. Is the battle won already?” Robin replied, smiling. “It seems a little early.”

 

“Not yet, but close. I found the girl that Father and I heard earlier, it turned out to be the last of my friends who came back - Nah, Nowi’s daughter.” Lucina explains, walking behind them to speak to the actual mess worker “Some bread and fruit, please.”

 

“She had a pretty deep cut on her face, and was pretty weak on her feet, so I chose to come back early. Morgan and the others have everything handled, though.” Lucina continued, taking the small plate the worker handed her - day old bread and sliced apples. Not the best, but it’ll do for now. 

 

“Ah, I see. How’s she doing?” Chrom asked, turning to face his daughter.

 

“Asleep, but Lissa’s taking care of her.” Lucina replied, turning and smiling. “She’s worried about a potential concussion, so she wants to wake her up, but figured she’d need food first. Hence, me.” 

 

“Get back to it, then, Luce.” Robin said, giving her daughter a little smile. “You’ve got a friend that needs you.”

 

“Right-o, Captain” Lucina smirked, mock-saluting. When Lucina returned to triage, Nah’s wound had been bandaged and Lissa was searching for the epsom salts to wake her. “They gave me bread and fruit, that’s fine, right?”

 

“Yep!” Lissa said, spinning around with a small sachet in her hand, “This should wake her up!”

 

The salts worked well enough - Nah woke with a start, jolting upright. It took a moment to calm her down, but Nah seemed to be okay. She passed Lissa’s concussion test with flying colors, and was more than grateful for the bread and fruit. It wasn’t long after Nah woke that the other returned, no one with severe injuries. Nowi and Gregor were quite pleased to meet their daughter, and spent the night in triage with her. 

 

It was… strange to have all thirteen of them back in one spot, after all this time. They’ll have to go back to two-person tents now, there’s no way they can all fit into one for their old sleeping pile. Lucina decides she’ll sort that out later, when everyone is cognizant enough to pick out roomies. She’s certain that she’ll pair up with Severa, to keep their nightly rituals in tact, and that Inigo and Gerome will pair up too, and things will fall back into place like they once had in their old world. She could already imagine how meals would be, all of them squeezing onto two benches to sit at the same table, telling stories and teasing each other, Kjelle and Severa bickering over petty things while Owain, who was almost always the instigator, laughed at their side, and Brady whacking Owain over the back of his head for starting another fight again. It could be nice, having familiar comforts in an unfamiliar world.

 

It could be nice, this world.


End file.
